The SS Hetalia
by JulietVargas
Summary: A year after the sinking of the Hetalia, Feliciano and Lovino Vargas reveal the stories of what happened to them on board. Spamano and GerIta and others. M for Lovi's mouth mainly, and very suggestive themes, nothing overly explicit
1. Chapter 1: Cross of the Fairies

(Authors notes: I tried to add what I could to make it not a complete carbon copy of the movie but I just love most of lines and plot too much to rewrite it extensively. However I am rather pleased with my decision to make several of the main characters be played by two or more Hetalia characters...namely Rose, Jack, Lovejoy, and Ruth.

The story is told in two different rooms but being pieced together by the same listener so sometimes it switches between Lovino and Feliciano in the middle of a paragraph quite often and sometimes doubles over their words or what others are saying to them like/this. Sorry if that gets confusing but really...Rose embodied characteristics from both twins at different points in the movie

Something to keep in mind is that I consider this a parallel dimension where America has embraced the new technological world for the most part and Europe is still stuck in the past.

Last thing _"This indicates voice-over."_

Enjoy!)

Ch.1 Cross of the Fairies

The newscaster turned her attention onto the man in front of her.

"Mr. Alderforth what is your response to the accusations being flung at you by the public and survivors of the S.S Hetalia? Many are calling you a grave robber and claiming that you have no business poking your nose around the ship when it has only been a year since its sinking."

The man with bright gold hair and shiny teeth beamed brightly at the reporter and camera.

"Well it is true that it has only been a year but I am no grave robber I assure you. I'm simply looking for clues. Clues that will open doors to the untold stories of what happened on the Hetalia. We all know that the captain and ships designer both went down with it, and we know that the band did as well, playing till the very end. What I am looking for is the stories hidden beneath the surface. Take this for example. We just uncovered it today."

He pulled out a slightly damp drawing from a folder and displayed it before the camera.

A strong muscular man was sketched perfectly from his navel up wearing only a strange cross. The artist had taken great pains to make the cross appear to glitter as if it contained some kind of gem.

Mr. Adelforth smiled at the camera again.

"This is just the type of hidden story I'm talking about. The date at the bottom of the drawing matches the date that the Hetalia sank. Who was the model? Who was the artist? Why was the drawing done? What allured them to the ship? Maybe one or both were among the survivors or maybe they were both casualties. These are the stories that I am interested in."

With that he gave another bright smile and walked off camera.

The TV clicked off and the remote trembled in his hands.

"So that's what you were doing Feli." A broken and slightly angered voice whispered at the now blank screen. His dull green eyes and disheveled hair looked back at him from the reflective surface. He sighed and rubbed an arm across his face to catch the tears that were threatening to escape.

"How long were you in the room with him? That potato bastard."

He stood up and headed for his bedroom to take his mind off what he had just heard and seen, though he was certain it would be hopeless. Even as he collapsed on his bed, the memories of his time on the Hetalia returned in a torrent that he had kept at bay for so long. The music and dancing...which he had hated...except that one time...the abundant food...the weird people...the constant questions and all the older adults fawning over his brother and his pretty little fiancé ...and his own fiancé, Bella, smiling and clinging to his arm with an overly sweet vice grip. And Antonio...oh Antonio...he closed his eyes and allowed those bright green emeralds to stare down into his own grass ones. Felt the sweet tomato laced breath tickling his exposed skin and the strong but gentle arms holding him carefully. Sultry lips descended towards his own chapped ones and he took a quick shaky breath in preparation for what he longed for but would never...and had never...admitted...and...

Lovino opened his eyes in a rush and sat up holding his head and trying desperately to ignore his blurry eyes and moist cheeks. He would not cry over that bastard...not again...not after a year.

He groaned and rolled onto his side to face the dresser next to his bed. He reached over and pulled out one of the drawers in order to get inside the body of the dresser. He reached his hand far back until he touched metal, then he pulled and lifted his treasure off the secret hook. Removing his hand once more he took a deep breath and closed his eyes before he would look at the object...the only thing left of Antonio beyond the memories. The cross was not as breathtaking or priceless as the one Feliciano had inherited from their grandfather, but to him...it was worth more. The silver was tarnished with age and had spots of rust on it from when Antonio had nearly drowned at age 12, but the message etched into the back still sparkled clear...

_To Protect the One I Love_

Lovino ran his thumb over the inscription and wondered for probably the first time who else of Antonio's ancestors had done the same thing. Who had they been? How had they lived? What untold secrets had the cross witnessed?

He stopped and took a deep breath.

_Untold secrets. Untold stories..._

He brought the cross to his lips and kissed it with gritted teeth.

"I cannot believe what I'm about to fucking do."

He pulled out the newspaper article that for some god forsaken reason he had kept and scanned the page for what he needed. The number for Corman Alderforth aboard the Caloway.

_~*~Artists Studio Several Miles Away~*~_

"Vee~ they found my drawing of Ludwig. What do I do now Doitsu?"

The silver black cat looked back up at his master with blue eyes and simply twitched his tail.

Feliciano sighed and ran a paint stained hand through his slightly disheveled auburn hair.

"I never wanted to reveal my true identity. I was afraid that Elizaveta and Roderich would try to claim me again. If they're still alive."

The cat looked at him with a quizzical accusing stare.

"No I'm not trying to forget. I can never forget what happened to me onboard the Hetalia...and I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget Ludwig."

He slipped off his stool and went to the back of his small studio where an unused supply cabinet housed his favorite work. He pulled open the doors slowly and stepped inside kneeling before the painting.

He whisked off the cloth covering with a flourish and gazed into the sparkling deep blue eyes. His skilled hands had been able to capture the gentleness hidden beneath the stern expression. The slight uncertainty enclosed in the firm set lips and every other line and angle of the man's face. Ludwig was just as handsome and perfect in painted form as he had been in flesh and blood.

How Feliciano longed to be engulfed in those sturdy muscular arms. How he yearned to rest his ear against the strong heart again. How he wished to hear words of comfort and assurance that everything would turn out right.

_He_ was alive...that much had been truth. But Ludwig would never breathe again. His last breath had been drawn without Feliciano even being aware...it had been too cold to be aware of much of anything.

Feliciano shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself as if that could keep away the memory of the biting cold that had invaded every inch of skin, exposed and covered alike.

Doitsu seemed to sense his master's distress and came over to rub against his knees.

Feliciano looked down and smiled at the creature that was his only real comfort in the last year.

"Ve I'm sorry for worrying you Doitsu, I'll be all right in a little while."

He stood up and pulled the hidden chain from under his shirt collar. The diamond cross swung before his hazel eyes in a graceful arc, catching the slight bit of sun that crept into the room and sending beams of crystal light dancing around the small cabinet.

"Yes I'll be all right, because I'm not going to hide anymore. " He whispered in a confident voice.

"Mr. Alderforth will hear my story. This will make certain of that."

Doitsu gave another flick of his tail and cocked his head. Both indicated the same direction.

Feliciano lifted the newspaper article off the messy desk and located the number at the bottom.

_Call this number for Corman Alderforth aboard the Caloway._

He smiled at Doitsu and fished his cell phone out of his pocket.

"I think I'll take him up on that offer."

_~*~Aboard the Caloway ~*~_

"Hey boss I got someone on the phone that wants to talk with you."

"I got someone on the other line too boss and I think you should take my call first."

"Pfff I doubt it, mine is way more important!"

"No way dude, mine's got to be ten times more important."

Corman Alderforth held up his hands.

"Guys please I don't want to take any phone calls at the moment all right. We're heading down for another go at finding the cross."

"But boss you really need to speak with him."

"You need to speak with mine more!"

"If I speak with them will you both shut up and let me get back to work afterwards?"

"Of course."

"Yeah duh."

"All right I'll speak with yours first Dave and yours second Sam, and no protesting."

"This had better be good." He muttered to his co captain of the team.

She just shrugged and rolled her eyes.

~*~First Phone Call~*~

"This is Corman Alderforth who am I speaking with?"

"So you finally decided to take time out of your fucking precious schedule to talk with me bastard."

Corman gaped at the phone.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I'm a survivor from the Hetalia and I want to tell my story damnit."

Corman ran a hand over his eyes and sighed. Another pissed off survivor that thought what he was doing was wrong and they were using the excuse of a story to talk to him. Well he was sick of it.

"Look Mr.?"

"Carreido, Lovino Carreido...though that wasn't my name a year ago."

"Mr. Carreido. The only story I'm interested in right now is the one that surrounds that drawing we found so if you can't help with that then..."

"I can help somewhat with that."

"Oh you know who the model was?"

"Yeah a fucking potato bastard named Ludwig, but the artist is the important one."

Corman was very intrigued now.

"Oh and who would that be?"

"My younger twin brother, Feliciano Vargas."

_~*~Second Phone Call~*~_

"This is Corman Alderforth I'm in a good mood right now so..."  
>"Vee~ hi Mr. Alderforth I'm so happy you decided to talk to me."<p>

Again Corman was a bit taken aback. Unlike Lovino, this caller was overly cheerful and polite.

"Yes, um like I was saying I'm in a good mood right now so..."

"Oh of course you would be after finding something exciting! I always am in a good mood when I discover something fun and exciting that I didn't know about before."

Corman blinked and sighed, his good mood was starting to turn to irritation at the perky young man that constantly interrupted him with trifles.

"Look Mr.?"

"Beilschmidt, Feliciano Beilschmidt...vee but you can call me Feli!"

Corman did a double take at the name Feliciano but he wasn't about to get his hopes up.

"Mr. Beilschmidt..."

"Feli"

"Feli...my good mood is slowly fading so..."

"Oh dear! You should eat some pasta! That always makes me feel better...well that and painting."

Corman was at his wits end.

"Feli I really am trying to be nice but I'm really focused on this drawing right now and..."

"Oh yes the drawing! It is really good isn't it? Don't you think the model is handsome and well portrayed? Don't you think the artist did a good job at making the cross sparkle?"

Corman was about to interrupt and say that if Feli had nothing important to say then he was going to hang up when the young man's voice came in a hushed and mischievous tone.

"Have you found the Attraversare delle Fate yet?"

Corman gaped and looked at Sam.

"Told ya it was important." His preservation specialist winked.

Corman turned back to the phone and took a deep breath.

"All right Feli you've got my full attention now. Do you know anything about the drawing?"

He waited in nervous anticipation for the answer.

"The model was Ludwig Beilschmidt, a wonderful German mechanic. And the artist...is me."

~*~Back on the main deck~*~

"So what was his phone call about huh?" Dave smirked, waving an unconcerned hand in Sam's direction, "Not as good as mine huh?"

"You kidding me? Compared to my caller yours was definitely a wash out."

"You're both wrong." Corman smirked and looked out at the shimmering sea, "They were both beneficial and I sense that we're getting closer to finding that cross."

He turned back to address his confused and excited staff.

"Troops. Make the guest rooms ready. We're gonna host the _Vargas_ twins on the Caloway...and I think...stage a reunion."

_~*~A Few Days Later~*~_

Corman had planned it all out perfectly. Feliciano would be arriving first and he would be placed in the guest room closest to the stern of the Caloway and kept occupied by Jane while he went to deal with Lovino who would be arriving about half an hour later and would probably be as foul tempered as he had sounded on the phone. Corman would much rather have left the irritated older twin to be taken care of by the rest of his team and shown to his guest bedroom closest to the bow of the Caloway, but...he was certain that Lovino would have a fit with that. He didn't want the older Italian to start yelling and attract the attention of his younger brother...the reunion wasn't about to take place until the camera crew arrived that night to broadcast the joyous event that he had brought about. Hah! He was reuniting twin brothers who had thought that the other had died in the sinking. Let his haters suck on that!

He grinned and his smile turned even wider as the helicopter carrying his first guest dropped down.

The door flew open and a bright auburn eyed and auburn haired young man leapt onto the deck holding a rather terrified looking cat.

"Vee~ look Doitsu we made it!"

The cat kept his eyes tight shut and his claws embedded in his master's jacket sleeve.

Corman was a bit taken aback by the fact that the boy, whose appearance fit his voice perfectly, had brought a cat onto his ship. But he quickly recovered himself and stepped forward hand outstretched.

"Feli. It's good to properly meet you. Welcome to the Caloway."

The boy grinned at him excitedly as his eyes seemed to take in every inch of the ship.

"I haven't been on another ship since the Hetalia." He explained, bouncing on the balls of his feet anxiously, "I'd forgotten what it feels like. And this is Doitsu's first time ever on a ship!"

The cat gave a brief mrow as if to say that he would have been fine never having been on a ship at all.

Corman smiled slightly and rolled his eyes at the deck so the Italian couldn't see it.

"Well then shall we get you settled? My co captain Jane would be happy to do anything to make you feel more at home."

Feliciano smiled even wider as a blush spread over his cheeks and his eyes took on a slightly more flirtatious tone. The lovely brunette that had just come out of the preservation room gave him a brilliant and equally flirtatious smile and held out her hand.

"Shall we Mr. Beilschmidt?"

"You can definitely call me Feli." He responded in an awed whisper, as he maneuvered Doitsu into one arm leaving the other free to accept her hand.

Jane laughed lightly, playing her part out perfectly.

"Feli then."

Corman had to hand it to the woman, she was a dang good actress.

He turned his attention back to the helicopter pilot.

"My other guest is on his way right?"

"Carl's bringing him over as we speak." The man responded with a nod as he pulled the door closed and started up the chopper once more.

The Caloway rocked as the helicopter rose into the air and headed back in the direction it had arrived.

Corman waved it off and then sighed and set about to waiting for the other one to show up, with the considerably less friendly Italian.

_~*~Later in the Bow Bedroom~*~_

"You call this a room? Last time I was aboard a ship the room was considerably nicer and larger."

"This isn't the Hetalia Mr. Carreido. We're tight on space aboard the Caloway." Corman sighed and regarded the frowning Italian perched on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed.

Lovino snorted and looked back towards the doorway.

"So you got me here. Now I assume you want to know about the Attraversare delle Fate?"

He smirked a bit as he saw Corman's eyes flash at the name.

"Yeah I know that's what you're really after with your snooping around the Hetalia. You think I'm stupid or something?"

Corman sighed and smiled a bit.

"It's true that is my main purpose but, what I told you isn't a lie."

"I also want to hear your story Lovino Vargas."

"Is there anything I can get you? Anything you would like?" Jane asked gently.

Feliciano's eyes stopped scanning the room and fixed on her briefly before dropping to the floor.

"Is it all right if I see my drawing?"

Jane's smile turned sincere and gentle.

"Of course, right this way Mr. Vargas."

The young Italian man caught his breath at the name and then shook his head.

"It's Carreido/Beilschmidt now."

"Why that name?" Dave asked sitting in a rolling chair he had pulled into the room.

Lovino took a breath and then closed his eyes gritting his teeth.

Sam looked at the younger Italian gently as the boy stared at the drawing and took a deep breath.

"Because that was his name."

"His name?" Dave's eyebrow roes a bit, "You had an affair with a guy onboard? Dude that's crazy!"

"Do you want to fucking hear my story or not?" Lovino shouted, glaring challengingly at Dave.

"Yes. We would." Corman responded, trying to calm the young man down.

"Even after what I told you?" Feliciano asked quietly.

Corman nodded.

"Tell us what happened to you Lovino/Feliciano. Tell us what happened back when you were still a Vargas onboard the SS Hetalia."

The boy looked up at the ceiling with his far away eyes and began.

"I can still smell the new varnish; feel the fresh paint beneath my fingers, the clean linens."

"Everything was so fucking clean and new, all the scents nearly made me gag."

"Hetalia was called the ship of wonder."

"I guess in a way it was."

"Vee~It really was."


	2. Chapter 2: Departure from Southhampton

(Authors Note: Just a heads up...Liz, Roderich, and Bella are not good people in this story...I like them in Hetalia but I needed villains and it was just too fun to write them that way ;D

Oh and the people with Sadique are not countries...they're just random characters I made up

And yes this chapter is considerably shorter than the first but I kinda broke up chapters based on the scene selection in the movie...chapter titles are based on that as well

Enjoy!)

Ch.2: Departure from Southhampton

The shipyard was crowded with so many taxis and limos that all foot traffic had to practically jump over their hoods to get anywhere near the great ship. The SS Hetalia waited patiently in all its gleaming and splendid glory for the 2,000 passengers that it would carry on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic to the bustling United States.

"_At least that's how most people viewed it. My brother especially. He bounced around excitedly pointing out things to anybody within earshot. "_

Feliciano grabbed his brother's arm.

"Isn't this wonderful Lovi? They say the Hetalia is unsinkable! Can you believe that Liz and Rod actually got all six of us tickets?"

Lovino frowned and pulled his arm out of his younger twin's grasp.

"I really don't see why everyone's so worked up over a fucking ship. It doesn't look any larger than the Veteroli."

"Lovino Vargas I have warned you about your language." Elizaveta Edelstein scolded.

"You can say foul words about most things in life but nothing about the Hetalia." Roderich added, "It's several feet longer than the Veteroli and far more luxurious."

"Oh Mr. Edelstein you know that Lovino is far too difficult to impress." Bella Citroen laughed cheerfully linking her arm through said fiancée's.

Lovino grumbled and was going to tell her to "Fuck off" but a quick glare from his guardian made him snap his mouth shut with a grumbled, "It's not difficult to impress me...it's impossible."

"_To most, the Hetalia was a way to reach their wildest hopes for the future in the land of prosper. To me it was a slave ship, ferrying me across the path to be eternally chained to a future that I loathed."_

"_Outside I was everything a proper young gentleman should be. Inside...I was screaming."_

_~*~Small Pub by the Shipyard~*~_

The ships horn blew, announcing that it would be departing soon. The noise echoed around the otherwise empty room and sent its eight occupants into shivers.

"Toni this is so unawesome." Gilbert hissed in his friend's ear, "You bet all our money!"

"I must agree with Gilbert this once mon ami." Francis concurred nodding, "You have indeed gone daft."

"Remember me amigos. When you've got nothing then you've got nothing to lose." The young Spaniard grinned.

Across the table Paolo turned to his large companion.

"I can't believe you bet our tickets."

The twins looked warily at their imposing companion as well.

"Sir you must admit that it was a rather unnecessary thing to do."

"What is necessary is not always clear at first." The masked man replied through his turban, shutting the other three up instantly.

Another blast came from the Hetalia.

"All right gentlemen moment of truth someone's lives are about to change."

Antonio Carreido grinned at the seven other men gathered around the table.

"Francis?"

The blond Frenchman sighed and laid his cards on the table.

"Rien?" Antonio questioned.

"Rien." Francis agreed, taking a swig of whisky.

"You Michael, Giovani?"

"Nothin." The twins complained throwing their cards in the air.

"I got zip too." Paolo grimaced.

"Sadique?" Antonio turned hopefully to the last of his competition.

The Turk smiled and lay down his cards calmly but proudly before them.

"Oh two pairs." Antonio's smile fell slightly, "Well uh...that beats my one pair even though it's high."

Sadique smirked and reached out towards the center of the table to collect his gold while his companions breathed sighs of relief.

"Hang on a moment. I may not know fully what I am doing...but I am still playing I believe."

All eyes turned to the eighth occupant of the table that had been being so quiet and calm the entire time that in their excitement they had forgotten about him.

Antonio clapped his hands.

"Ludwig! I nearly forgot you were still in. What do you have?"

Sadique raised an eyebrow and withdrew his arms from the table to wait patiently.

"Well uh...I don't know."

Ludwig laid the cards before him and turned to Antonio.

"What _do _I have?"

Antonio's eyes lit up and he jumped from his chair in utter joy.

"Gracias al Señor! You've got a full house!"

Francis and Gilbert leapt from their seats as well and grabbed hands in a little, slightly drunken, dance.

"We did it! We're going on!"

Antonio hugged Ludwig, temporarily forgetting the German's issue with physical contact, before he swept up the tickets, while Francis and Gilbert collected the rest of the winnings into their bags.

Ludwig was slightly caught off guard enough to not push Antonio off him but his piercing blue eyes seemed to lighten a little bit as he smiled slightly.

"We're going to America?"

"No mates." The barkeep interrupted pointing at the clock, "Hetalia goes to America, in five minutes."

"Ah scheize!" Gilbert exclaimed grabbing his brother's arm and rushing out the door with Francis and Antonio following close behind.

The quad raced towards the ship throwing excited exclamations back and forth to each other as they dodged around the onlookers.

"Hey hold up!" Gilbert shouted at a lower deck manager who was starting to raise the bridge, "We're passengers."

"Si we're passengers." Antonio grinned waving the tickets in front of the startled man's face.

"And you've been through inspection already?"

"Wi Monsier." Francis smiled, "Anyways we don't carry any foreign diseases. We're Americans. All of us."

The man raised an eyebrow, looking the group of _Americans_ over before he stepped aside.

"Come on quickly then."

"Si!" Antonio exclaimed as he darted past the man and headed his way onto the third class deck. He leaned out waving over the rail as the other three joined him.

"Despedida!"

"Au revoir!"

"Auf Wiedersehen!"

"Fare well."

The onlookers far below waved back and called farewells to their loved ones and strangers alike as the ship horn blew once again and the Hetalia began making its way out of the harbor and towards the coastal waters.

"_The ship was moving so fucking slow at first that if it weren't for the fact that the people on the dock were getting smaller I would never have noticed."_

"_The world ahead of me had never looked so bright while at the same time looking so frightening. All I could see ahead was that immense expanse of water. Sometimes I wondered what truly awaited me at the end of that long voyage."_


	3. Chapter 3: Take Her to Sea

Chapter 3: Take Her to Sea

Antonio moved through the crowded hallways of the third class living quarters, trying to take in all the wonder of it. There were so many people from different countries and cultures. His heart gave a little jolt of joy every time he heard Spanish or even Portuguese being spoken.

Ahead of them a busty woman ushered two younger people into a room.

"No Natalya you may not sleep in the same bed as your brother. I specifically got us our own room to avoid that."

A bunch of cursing in a language he could only assume was Russian came spilling from the room even as the door closed.

Antonio smiled a bit as he wondered what might possibly be going on in that particular room right now even as Gilbert came to a sudden halt in front of him.

"360. This is us!"

The _Prussian_, as he insisted on still calling himself, pushed open the door that lead into a small room with two sets of bunk beds.

"This is so awesome!" he exclaimed throwing his pack onto the top bunk and climbing up after it while Ludwig took the lower bunk.

Antonio turned to Francis.

"Dice for the top bunk?"

The Frenchman shook his head.

"Nah Mon Ami you can ave it. I'm content close to the floor."

Antonio grinned and hoisted himself onto the top bed, pack and all.

_~*~1st Class~*~_

Lovino walked along the shaded deck trying not to feel impressed by the fine choice of colors and the view of sparkling blue green water out of the many open air windows.

"This is your private promenade deck sir." A staff member explained walking a few feet behind him, "Will you be requiring anything."

"Yeah, you leaving me alone." Lovino snapped, "I'm 18 fucking years old. I can walk a deck by myself."

The staff member pretended not to be perturbed by the young man's language as he smiled, "Of course sir." And bowed himself out.

Inside the room Feliciano was gazing fondly at sketching he and Lili were pulling from his trunk.

"Is it this one?" Lili asked, showing him a particularly fine drawing of a wooded glade.

"No. I do like that one. But this one had faces ingrained in the trees."

Lili nodded placing the drawing she had chosen on the settee.

"Oh here it is!" Feliciano exclaimed waving the paper about proudly.

Lili leaned over his shoulder to get a look at it. The finely penciled lines all joined together to form a beautiful scene of a silent forest but if you looked closely enough the hidden faces within the trunks revealed themselves.

"Oh Feli this is so gorgeous!" Lili breathed, "You really are such an artist."

"You're not actually planning on putting those sketches up in here are you?" Lovino grumbled.

"Vee~ Why shouldn't I Lovi? I'm proud of my work and want to display it where everyone can enjoy it."

"They're a meaningless waste of your life Feli." Lovino huffed and leaned against the doorframe to his bedroom.

"Lovino that's cruel to say to your brother."

Feliciano grinned.

"It's all right Lili. The difference between my Fratello and I is that I think nothing in life is a waste of time."

"Well good for you." Lovino huffed again and slammed his door.

~*~*SSH*~*~

"_At Sherborn a man came aboard by the name of Alfred F Jones."_

"_He asked us to call him Al." _

"_You probably know him better as the DC homosexual hero."_

"Hey take a look at this place Artie! It's huge and so well furnished!"

"Use your indoor voice git we're not on deck you know. And you shouldn't be getting so worked up over a nice ship. You're not a child."

"_He was accompanied by his partner Arthur Kirkland, who owned a ship line of his own."_

"_Vee~Liz called them new money since Arthur had just recently come into the industry through the unfortunate accident of a good friend."_

"_She called Alfred a freeloader."_

~*~*SSH*~*~

"_By the next afternoon we were sailing away from the coast of Ireland."_

"_With nothing out ahead of us but ocean."_

Captain Honda stood by the railing on the wheelhouse deck and gazed out at the sparkling crystalline water. With a smile he turned to his second in command.

"Take her to sea Mr. Karpusi. Let's stretch her legs."

The other man startled awake and yawned before he headed back into the wheelroom and pulled down the communicator.

"All ahead full." He instructed into it, in a slightly sleepy voice.

"Roger Mr. Karpusi." The reply came back.

Down in the ship's hull the fires began to stoke as the workers prepared the engines and boilers that would carry the ship swiftly on its long journey.

"Come on lads we want it on full." One of the overseers shouted encouragement to the busy workers, "Give it all you've got men."

The turbines began moving at double time as they were fed by more and more coal and labor. Within moments the propellers that had been turning at a slow rate before were gathering speed and momentum with each new turn, till at last they were spinning with perfect speed and propelling the ship quicker through the current.

Heracles Karpusi came back out of the wheelhouse and smiled sleepily at his captain.

"21 knots sir."

Kiku Honda sighed in contentment and placed his hands on the railing in satisfaction.

_~*~Stern of the Ship~*~_

Gilbert and Antonio gazed out over the railing at the spray and surf being caused by the ships swift slicing through the water.

"Hey look look there!" Antonio cried out, pointing at a long silver blue shape moving with the boat just below the surface. In a moment a head lifted up before diving down again briefly.

"Did you see it?"

"Ja" Gilbert grinned, "Look there's another one." He pointed.

Before the words had even left his mouth the dolphin leapt into the air before diving nose first back into the water.

"Did you see that jump?" Antonio exclaimed, "Whoo hoo!"

Gilbert laughed and climbed up onto the railing using the roping for support.

They gazed out ahead of them at the waters carrying them to their, hopefully better, new lives in the Modern World.

"I can see the Statue of Liberty Already." Anotnio grinned, "Very small of course"

Gilbert grinned and chuckled.

"Kesesese. A symbol of promise; that's what the Lady Liberty is."

Then Gilbert let go of the rope and stretched his arms wide out to either side of him.

"I'm the Awesome King of the World! Woo Hoo! Whooooo!"

"Yeah!" Antonio shouted.

"Come at me bro! Give me all you've got!" Gilbert laughed

"Toro Toro!" Antonio joined in.

Then both men began to howl as if the moon were out to drive them mad.

_~*~First Class~*~_

"She's the largest, fastest ship ever created. And Sve designed her from the keel plates up." Tino Väinämöinen smiled proudly at his partner as they sat with the Vargas party for luncheon.

Lovino snorted and kept eating his lemon farfalle with sun dried tomatoes.

Berwald Oxenstierna's eyes never changed from looking menacing but the rest of his face took on a touch of embarrassment at being praised so highly by his young love in front of everyone.

"Well I may have knocked her together, but the idea was actually Mr. Køhler's and Mr. Eriksen's there." He explained, gesturing to the two men at the end of the table.

"They envisioned a steamer...so grand in scale and so luxurious in its assets that it would never be challenged."

"And here she is, willed into solid reality." Mathias Køhler grinned, slapping the table enthusiastically and making the glasses on it shake dangerously.

Feliciano smiled brightly and tore off a piece of bread, using it to scoop up the remaining sauce in his bowl.

"You know we don't like that Feli." Elizaveta sighed at him.

The boy turned to her looking a bit crestfallen, his mouth stuffed with bread.

Lovino glared at her before doing the same thing in defiance.

"Oh they both know Mrs. Edelstein." Bella smiled a bit too cheerfully and then smirked at Lovino as his glare turned onto her.

In a desperate attempt to break the tension that had fallen onto the table Lili spoke up.

"So who thought of the name Hetalia? Was it you Mr. Oxenstierna?"

"We all came up with names for it actually." Niel Eriksen explained, wiping his mouth on his napkin carefully, "Mathias wanted to convey sheer size. His name was the Kæmpe. Berwald was interested in the stability. His name was Balansera. I wanted to display strength. I chose Muskel."

He stopped for a brief moment before smiling slightly at the youngest member of his personal party.

"But it was Tino who loved the luxury aspect. And some of the greatest luxury he knew of came from Italy." He nodded at the two young Italian men respectfully.

"Vee~ That's so cool!" Feliciano exclaimed, "But um..." he looked down at his hands nervously, "Why are you making fun of us then?"

The four Nordic men looked guiltily at one another and Elizaveta and Roderich looked at their charge in surprise.

Feliciano felt a bit uncomfortable being stared at by so many people but he took a deep breath and continued.

"Well as I understand it. Hetalia quite literally translates to Useless Italy."

Everyone caught their breath, most of the Italian's party because they were shocked that he actually knew that, and the ship designers because they had been caught in their jibe.

Lovino slammed his hands on the table and stood abruptly.

"Fucking bastards how dare you!" He shouted at the startled men, "How dare you make fun of our home country!"

He turned to his younger brother and nodded towards the door with furious eyes.

"Are you coming?"

Feliciano didn't meet his gaze or anyone else's as he twisted the napkin in his hands in agitation. Then, in a rush of determination he stood from the table as well, dropping the napkin on his seat, and went to join his brother at the door.

"What has gotten into the two of you?" Elizaveta exclaimed turning towards her twin charges.

"Sense." Lovino growled.

"Scuse us." Feliciano whispered as he shut the door behind them.

Back at the table utter silence had fallen.

"I must apologize for the boys' behaviors." Roderich sighed, "Lovino is a loose cannon but he's usually better behaved around strangers. And Feli is generally such a sweet one that I never imagined he could even display such rude behavior."

"It's quite all right sir. They have a right to be angry about a jibe at their country." Tino smiled sheepishly, "I think we deserved that. Me especially."

Berwald sighed and patted his partner's hand.

"It's all right. You meant no harm in the little joke."

"Oh I'm sure those two will calm down given time." Bella smiled, finishing off her lunch at last, "Feli especially will be unable to stay hurt forever. He's too cheerful."

Tino tried to smile at her as he nodded.

"That Lovino sure is a piece of work." Mathias whistled, "Will you be able to handle him Mrs. Citroen?"

Bella smirked at the cocky Dane and folded her hands on the table.

"Oh I think I'll manage sir." She winked, "I'm a lot tougher than one might think."


	4. Chapter 4: You Jump, I Jump

Chapter 4: You Jump, I Jump

The low deck was not overly crowded but just enough that Antonio and Gilbert were wary of being stepped on. Across the way Francis was flirting with a pretty silver blond boy. Gilbert was eyeing him as well and was about to get up and head over but his brother's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Ludwig shook his head forcefully and mouthed "don't get involved".

"It's a nice ship." Antonio mused, placing his hands behind his head.

"It's a German ship." Ludwig stated with a slightly proud smile.

"I thought it was English." Antonio sat up looking surprised.

"No it was built in Germany. Strong German labor worked on this ship." Ludwig explained.

Antonio whistled and as if in response several dogs came racing by dragging a, rather small, crew member behind them.

"P...please, slow down." He cried, "Heel."

Gilbert snorted.

"Well isn't that just the way. First class dogs come down here to shit."

Antonio grinned and winked.

"Let's us know where we rank in the world."

"As if we could forget." Francis smiled returning to the group with the silver boy on his arm.

"This is Matthew Williams." He introduced the rather nervous boy.

Antonio leapt up and shook the boy's hands.

"Antonio Carreido."

"Uh hello." The boy spoke softly with a slight blush on his face.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt." The strong German shook hands more gently with the frightened boy.

"And I'm the awesome Gilbert Beilschmidt." the _Prussian_ grinned throwing an arm around the shocked young man, "You can call me Gil if you want though cutie. Kesesese."

Matthew looked utterly terrified at the close proximate in which he found himself.

"Leave im alone Gil I saw im first." Francis warned, pulling Matthew away.

"That's only cause my Bruder held me back." Gilbert complained.

As the two continued to argue Antonio found himself being blinded by some sparkling light coming from one of the upper decks. He shaded his eyes in an attempt to find the source. But when he found it, instantly his eyes went wide.

Two decks above, a pair of young men stood at the railing. They were probably brothers as they looked so much alike One was pointing out excitedly at some bird sailing through the skies by the ship while the other was trying to push his arm down. The source of the light came from a form of sparkling jewelry the 'younger?' wore about his neck. "Diamond probably", Antonio mused. The boy was rather attractive and if his excitement over a simple bird was anything to go off of, had a cheery disposition. But it was the other boy...the one that had given up on controlling his brother and was now simply glaring out straight ahead...that captured his attention. The boy carried himself in a stance that would suggest cocky arrogance and at first his face seemed to give off the impression of disapproval and disinterest. But as Antonio studied it more closely he caught flashes of uncertainty and maybe even fear and despair beneath the surface.

"Forget it mon ami." Francis chuckled patting Antonio's back and breaking his slightly mesmerized trance, "Even I would ave to grow ze wings of an Angel to get near the likes of them."

"Kesesese. Oh man Toni's cracked in the head." Gilbert grinned putting an arm around his friend's shoulders.

Antonio shook his head.

"I'm all right mi amigos. Just lost control for a minute."

"Well welcome back to reality where my awesome bruder is probably the only one likely to get anywhere close to someone from first class."

Ludwig looked at his bruder shocked.

"What makes you think I could?"

"Cause you're a fucking handsome son of a bitch." Gilbert grinned, "Why even one of the boys up there was looking down at you."

Ludwig stared at his brother in shock.

"He was? How do you know it was me?"

"Cause I'm just that fucking awesome." Gilbert laughed and clapped his brother on the back before he went off down the deck with Francis and Matthew.

Ludwig shook his head muttering something about.

"Why would someone like him be looking at someone like me?"

Antonio smiled a bit and risked turning his eyes back to the upper deck. To his disappointment though, both boys were gone. Still, he continued to gaze at the empty area while his thoughts formed what the boy's hidden expressions had truly shown...someone who was trapped.

_~*~Later That Night~*~_

The music from the stringed quartet wafted around the dining hall, echoing off the fine mirrors and perfect china. The violinist was none other than Niel Eriksen who it seemed, preferred to engage himself in the creation rather than in the scene itself.

"_Vee~ That was the first night that we were joined by Al and Arthur. Elizaveta and Roderich of course didn't like them so much, being 'new money' and all that, but I found them rather fun to talk with. Al especially had many exciting stories to share about growing up in America and I delighted in listening to them. Lovi on the other hand appeared more distant and withdrawn, even more so than usual._

"_I saw my life as if I had already lived it. Surrounded by the same narrow minded people with meaningless chatter. A fucking endless barrage of galas and cocktail parties, weddings and christenings, all at the encouragement of my guardians and on the arm of my wife. True I was a man of 18 and the main heir to my grandfather's fine fortune. But truly, how many young men of my standing are given permission to fly completely free without being supervised for 'their own good'?"_

"_I could tell that he really seemed to be thinking about something intensely but as we were at dinner with our family and new friends, I didn't want to be rude and call attention to it by asking him."_

"_I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back. No one who cared...or even noticed."_

_~*~*SSH*~*~_

He was running. Running as if the very devil himself was chasing him. As if the boards below his feet would collapse underneath him if he did not flee quickly. Down one staircase and up another. He had no idea of where he was going nor did he care. All that mattered was running. Running and not caring one fucking bit about the tears that spilled from his eyes.

At last he reached the point where running was no longer an option. He crashed into the railing at the bow of the ship, clutching the cold metal with sweating palms. He took several gasping breaths before looking over the edge. The pounding foam created by the ships path through the water was like a distant roar. The water churned and seemed to laugh at him with inky black shapes. Darkness. Inviting darkness beneath the water's surface.

Lovino took another deep breath before he climbed up onto the lowest bar of the railing and then hoisted himself farther up with the aid of a large chain. Carefully he swung first one leg and then the other over the railing to bring them to rest on the other side. Finally he turned around to lean out over the vast abyss, clutching to the railing with his palms.

So inviting...so mesmerizing...

"Don't do it." A Spanish accented voice spoke from behind him.

Lovino whirled his head around to find a man, probably only slightly older than himself, coming carefully towards the railing. His bright emerald eyes showed intense worry and he hastily ran a shaky hand through his unkempt chestnut hair. It was the bastard Lovino had caught looking at him from the third class deck.

"Stay back bastard." He gritted his teeth, "Don't come any closer."

Antonio took a couple of steps forward with his hand outstretched.

"Come on, give me your hand and I'll pull you back over."

"No!" Lovino shouted, "Stay where you are."

Antonio took another hesitant step.

"I mean it bastard!" Lovino warned, "I'll let go."

Antonio ran a hand through his hair again watching the young man. He was the same one that Antonio had been so mesmerized by earlier that day. It appeared he really had felt trapped. He sighed walking a little bit a ways from Lovino to another part of the back railing. He leaned his arms on it and turned back to the boy with a smile.

"No you won't."

Lovino looked taken a back and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"What do you mean no I won't? Don't presume to tell me what I fucking will and will not do! You don't know me bastard!"

Antonio raised an eyebrow and grinned a little. _For being first class he sure has a third class mouth._

"Well you would have done it already."

Lovino was thrown off guard by that and wracked his brain for a good response.

"You...you're fucking distracting me bastard. Go the hell away."

Antonio shook his head and leaned back against the rail.

"I can't. I'm involved now. You jump and...I'll come in there after ya."

Lovino gaped at him.

"Don't be a fucking idiot...you'd be killed!"

"I grew up in Espana near the water...I'm a good swimmer." Antonio replied, stripping off his tan jacket.

"The fall alone would kill you." Lovino countered.

"Yeah it would hurt. I'm not denying that." Antonio grinned, reaching down to unlace one of his boots, "Frankly I'm more concerned about how cold that water is."

Lovino shivered. He didn't mind water, after all in Italy he had grown up near the water himself. But since he had been forced to move to Austria, cold was something he didn't much care for.

"How cold?" he murmured, trying not to show the other man his anxiety.

"I'd guess freezing." Antonio smiled, "Maybe a couple of degrees over."

He successfully pulled off his one boot and started untying the other.

"You ever been to Russia?"

Lovino blinked at the random question.

"What?"

"Well I went up there with my parents when I was about 12 and my older brother and I decided to try a bit of ice fishing."

"Ice fishing?" Lovino murmured.

"Yeah it's where you..."

"I know what it is." Lovino interrupted angrily, "I was just making sure that's what you said."

"Right right." Antonio smiled putting his palms up in defense, "Well anyways, I fell through some thin ice and I've gotta tell you...water that cold, like down there. It hits you like a thousand machetes stabbing all over your body. You can't breathe. Can't think...least ways not about anything but the pain."

He pulled his other boot off and looked over the edge.

"Which is why I'm not looking forward to going in after you."

He smiled and turned back to the boy.

"Like I said before, I don't have a choice."

Antonio found himself getting lost in the sweet depths of the other's eyes.

"You jump, I jump." He whispered.

Lovino gazed at the man a bit unsettled by his words in a way that was not anger or judgment. There was just something about his voice, and the way in which he used it, that threw the young Italian off balance. And it didn't help that those damned emerald orbs of his seemed to look straight through his outer mask to find the lost and confused boy beneath.

" I guess what I'm kinda hoping for is that you'll come back over the railing and get me off the hook." Antonio smiled coming to stop right behind him.

"You're fucking crazy." Lovino exclaimed.

Antonio laughed lightly.

"That's what everyone tells me but..." he leaned closer to the boy, "With all due respect young sir...I'm not the one hanging over the back of a ship."

Lovino hissed in fury and whirled away.

"Come on...just give me your hand and I'll help you back over."

Antonio held out his hand coaxingly as if trying to tempt a frightened and volatile terrier with a treat.

Lovino stubbornly shook his head and stared determinedly at the water.

"You don't want to do this." Antonio lilted gently.

Lovino closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

_No...he didn't. Much as his own life was hell...he couldn't leave Feliciano alone. His younger brother needed him._

With great hesitation he placed his own hand in the Spaniard's and turned his body around.

The slightly older man smiled at him and breathed a sigh of relief wiping a hand across his forehead in a show.

"Well that was scary as hell for awhile. I'm Antonio Carreido by the way."

The young Italian looked at his face calculatingly.

"Lovino Vargas."

"That's Italian right?" Antonio grinned.

Lovino nodded and found himself actually smiling a bit. Strangely enough, he didn't care that he was showing his tear stained face to the strange lower classman.

"Come on." Antonio whispered as he urged the younger man to come back over the railing all the way with a tug on his hand.

Lovino complied and began to lift his foot up...but with the unbalanced weight his other foot seemed to succumb to a slick part of the bar and slipped out from under him. With a scream he was flailing out over the inky churning waves.

Antonio managed to catch his weight and gripped on tightly with both hands but despite the young Italian being lighter than Antonio could normally handle, both of their bodies were slightly more heavy-laden by the chill night wind.

"Mio dio salvami!" Lovino screamed and tried desperately to clutch back at the ship with his other hand.

"Lovi try to relax!" Antonio shouted over the young man's terrified screams.

"How can I fucking relax hanging off a ship?" Lovino shouted, "Oh Mio Dio Feliciano!"

Antonio caught the name but didn't think now was the time to ask.

"I've got you Lovi!" he shouted and tried to pull the Italian up, "I won't let go! But you've got to help me a little! Try and hoist yourself up while I pull!"

Lovino nodded his head rapidly and tried to do as instructed but even as his hand found the bar his moist palm slipped off the spray soaked surface and he was flailing once more.

"Mio Dio! Feliciano!" he screamed again, "Mio Dio SALVAMI!"

By now the sounds of his screaming had attracted the attention of crewmen and several were running as fast as they could towards the back of the ship where someone appeared to be in a great deal of trouble...Though they weren't sure what kind.

"Lovino!" Antonio shouted, locking eyes with the terrified boy, "I've got you. I won't let go. Now pull yourself up!"

Without a nod or any other indication that he had heard, the young Italian gripped for the bar again and with Antonio's help managed to get himself rather far up.

"That's it, keep going Lovi!" Antonio shouted, pulling with all his might, "You can do it!"

Lovino hoisted himself nearly over the railing when he slipped again but this time Antonio caught him with his other arm and wrapped both tightly around the young man to pull him over. The boys weight overthrew him slightly though and they ended up crashing to the deck with him lying on top of the winded and trembling boy just as the crewmen arrived...

"What's all this?"

They took one look at the boy lying in terror underneath the other man whose shoes were lying discarded on the deck nearby. Antonio got off of Lovino and stood hurriedly ready to explain but the front crewman pointed a finger at him and shouted.

"Just stay back you! Don't move!"

Antonio sighed and put his hands in his pockets closing his eyes.

"Fetch the security officer." The crewman instructed one of his fellows before turning his attention back to Antonio with cold hateful eyes.

_~*~*SSH*~*~_

"Take a bit of brandy son." The crewman coaxed, forcing a small glass into Lovino's hand. The boy was still shaking profusely despite being wrapped in a snug blanket and sitting on a chair that had hurriedly been brought. The crewman had to help hold his hand steady as he tipped the brandy down his sore throat.

Not far away Antonio was having handcuffs roughly slammed on his wrists as Roderich and Elizaveta shouted in fury at him.

"This is completely unacceptable!"

"What made you even think for a second that you could put your filthy hands on our son?"

Antonio didn't meet their eyes instead staring past them to try and catch a glimpse of Lovino. He had to make sure the boy was still fine.

"Look at us you scum!" Roderich barked whirling him around to face them.

"Don'." Lovino groaned trying to get up but failing miserably on his jelly legs, "Um not yur son. An he didn' do anthing wrung." It appeared that he was an incredible lightweight when in shock, one glass of brandy had slurred his thoughts and speech to mush...that or simply the shock was making it impossible to form clear words and sentences.

Roderich and Elizaveta ignored their charge's attempts to speak as they continued to interrogate his assailant.

"What gave you the gall the audacity to...?"

"Stop!"

Two sets of running footsteps from separate directions made the whole party turn. Feliciano arrived before his guardians gasping from the strain of sprinting. Shortly after, Ludwig slowed just short of the group. The party stared at the younger Italian twin with confusion and the other lower classman with suspicion.

"Feliciano what are you...where did you disappear off to?" Elizaveta asked with barely controlled suspicion.

"I...saw..the whole...thing." the boy gasped clutching at his knees and bending over in an attempt to recollect his breath.

The crewman that had given Lovino a brandy poured another glass and appeared beside Feliciano.

"Would you care for a brandy young sir?"

"No...don't drink...not often...at least."

The crewman frowned and headed back over to Lovino drinking the brandy himself as he went. Feliciano straightened at last and faced his guardians.

"That man didn't do anything to Lovi except save him from a terrible death."

Roderich and Elizaveta stared at their younger charge in disbelief.

"He saved him?" Liz shrieked with positive mirth, "Oh Feli dear I think you must be mistaken."

"He's not mistaken I saw the whole thing as well." Ludwig interjected but kept his distance as hostile and unbelieving eyes were turned his way.

Feliciano smiled appreciatively, and a bit surprised, at the German man before turning his attention back to the expectant and skeptical party.

"I was enjoying the sparkling stars on a higher deck when I happened to glance down and see my brother. It was Lovino's fault actually. He was being daring and got up on the top rail...I assume to prove that he was no chicken, because I had called him one earlier."

The two that knew Feli well refused to believe that the boy would ever taunt anyone like that but they allowed him to continue uninterrupted.

"And he slipped. He would have gone over to be lost to the sea but this nice young man saved him."

He gestured towards Antonio and turned his back towards Ludwig as he crossed his fingers behind it. A silent plee for the other man to back him up in his lie.

Ludwig smiled slightly and spoke up once more.

"He's telling the truth. It was lucky that Antonio was out here enjoying the nice sea air or the young gentleman would have been a gonner."

The party looked between the young Italian and the young German before they sighed and called out to Lovino.

"Do you back them up?"

The boy blinked and nodded in his foggy haze.

"And you?" the security guard gripped Antonio's wrists, "Was that the way of it?"

Antonio looked first towards Lovino, then Ludwig, and finally Feliciano's eyes which contained the hidden plee to go with it before he nodded.

"Si that's the extent of it."

Elizaveta and Roderich looked at each other in pure disbelief but decided not to protest as the security officer unlocked the cuffs and stepped away from the relieved Spaniard.

"That makes him a hero then." Lili spoke up softly from where she had been standing in confusion and worry with Bella, "That's a great feet."

She came over and curtsied before Antonio taking his hand.

"Thank you for saving him."

Antonio blinked at her and smiled.

"Of course. How could I have done anything but?"

Bella put on a false smile and came over as well.

"Good for you." She didn't meet Antonio's gaze as she pulled Lili away a bit too forcefully, "So it's all's well and back to our drinks."

Roderich and Elizaveta stared at Antonio coldly one more time before they took Feliciano's arm and headed back over to their other charge. Elizaveta rubbed the blanket around Lovino's shoulders and fussed in a motherly way.

"You must be freezing Lovi darling. Let's get you inside."

They headed after the girls but Lili turned and looked directly into Roderich's eyes, "Perhaps something could be given to the young man." She nodded back towards Antonio who had been joined by Ludwig.

Roderich smiled at Lili and kept his annoyance hidden as he turned to his personal assistant.

"Vash. I think a fifty should cover it."

Lovino gave a huff.

"Tha real wha um worth?"

Roderich looked back at his older charge in slight irritation but Elizaveta quickly came to a conclusion.

"I know just what to do."

She came over to Antonio and gave a supercilious smile.

"Perhaps you would like to join us for dinner tomorrow night. You could regale our party with your heroic tale." She smirked and turned to Ludwig, "And you would be welcome too of course though you did nothing but watch."

Ludwig blanched a bit at her bite but shook his head and bowed politely.

"No ma'am I wouldn't feel right taking reward for something I took no part in."

Elizaveth had to admire the young man's tact and nodded with a polite smile as she turned back to Antonio.

"And your answer?"

Antonio looked past her to Lovino's halting and blanket wrapped form. His heart skipped a beat and warmed immeasurably.

"Si, I'm in."

Elizaveta felt her smile falter a bit but she managed to keep it up long enough to nod, curtsy farewell, and head back to her family.

"This ought to be interesting." She snickered, taking her husband's arm.

Ludwig and Antonio watched them go till only Vash remained, at the railing nearby with a cigarette.

Ludwig turned to Antonio in a slightly worried and hushed voice.

"Idioten. Why did you accept that offer? You're only gonna be looked down on by all of them."

Antonio shrugged.

"I guess I had other things on my mind." _Like Lovi...seeing Lovi again._

Ludwig sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

"Just be careful Toni, we don't care to lose you to your own foolish heart."

Antonio laughed.

"Worry about you own heart. The younger one is the boy that kept looking at you earlier today."

Ludwig blinked in surprise but Antonio just grinned and went over to retrieve his shoes. As he slipped his feet into them Vash blew out a smoke ring and gave a soft sigh.

"You'll want to tie those."

Antonio looked at him in surprise as the smaller man tossed his cigarette over the side and turned back to him.

"It's remarkable really. The young man slipped without warning and yet you still managed to remove your boots."

He gave Antonio a meaningful glare before heading off down the deck towards his household's rooms.


	5. Chapter 5: You See People

(Authors Note: If I didn't love GerIta so much I would put Feli and Lili together more often...I think they would just be too cute and perfect together!

Enjoy!)

Chapter 5: You See People

Lovino sat in a chair with a book propped open on his knees when the door opened quietly. He refused to glance up as Bella entered the room.

"I know you've been avoiding me, and I just can't understand why."

Lili placed a gentle hand over Feliciano's in his private bedchamber.

"Something's troubling you lately and I wish you wouldn't keep it locked up. I don't want your happy smile to fade Feli."

Lovino gave an uncaring grunt.

"Is that all you came in here for?"

Bella shook her head and came farther into the room closing the door behind her.

"I want to talk."

"There's nothing to be worried about Lili." Feliciano smiled, running a hand gently over her cheek, "I'll be all right when we reach America and meet your family."

Lovino put down his book and glared at her.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is." She replied, "Like tonight for instance. I know that Feli's story was a complete lie. What really happened? Did he try to take advantage of you? Did you let him?"

Lili sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's overwhelming really when you think about it. If my parents approve then we'll officially be engaged."

Feliciano smiled and kissed her forehead, "And I can give you this." He pulled a medium sized cross out from under his shirt color and allowed the thousands of diamonds contained within its hollowed out surface to catch the table light.

"My brother never lies." Lovino growled and folded his arms, "There's nothing more to explain."

"Oh Lovi." Bella sighed and came over to kneel down in front of him and place her head on his knees. She ran circles over his thighs with lithe nails causing him to shiver and shift uncomfortably, "I wish you wouldn't turn me away so. Don't shut me out my love."

Lovino growled and put his head in his hand leaning on the chair rest.

Lili gasped in astonishment and awe.

"Are those...?"

"Diamonds?" Feliciano smiled brightly, "Yes. It belonged to my grandfather." He looked down at the sparkling surface as memories of his childhood with his beloved nonno came back, "It's called the Attraversare delle Fate."

"The cross of the fairies." Lili smiled.

Feliciano beamed, "Yes brava, you're learning Italian well."

Bella sighed and roes up to place her hands on his cheeks and force him to look into her eyes.

"There's nothing I would refuse you Lovi. I could make you so happy. If only you would give me your heart as I have given you mine."

Lili ran a hand carefully over the pendant before gazing straight into Feliciano's eyes once more.

_~*~Upper Deck (following day)~*~_

Two pairs of young men walked along two separate sides of the deck as the more vocal ones chattered about their lives.

"Vee~ But Liz and Roddy really are such nice guardians and care for me and Lovi a great deal so I can't say that I'm terribly unhappy about being in Vienna. But I do still miss my dear Italy more than anyone can understand."

"But I guess that's natural." Antonio mused with a smile, "I really wish that I could return to Espana someday and visit my parents' graves."

"Listen Mr. Vargas..." Ludwig began with a sigh.

"Feli." The boy laughed breaking off his ramble to look at the larger man.

"Feli." Ludwig repeated humbly, "I don't want to appear rude by stopping you're story and it's not like I haven't enjoyed listening to your, very detailed, life but, I don't believe that's why you sought me out.

"Look bastard..." Lovino began in annoyance.

"My parents were happily married." Antonio interrupted utterly confused.

"What?" Lovino stuttered in pure confusion himself.

"You keep calling me a bastard, but I was born to happily married parents who had been together for about three years, I have an older brother remember. And this..." He pulled out a tarnished silver cross from under his shirt collar and displayed it to the startled Italian man proudly yet reverently. My father gave this to my mother on their wedding day and mama gave it to me on her deathbed."

Lovino gawked and gazed up at the sky. Was the Spaniard really that dense to understand when he was being called a foul name and not _literally _a bastard? And why the fuck did Lovino care about an old cross from his dead mother?

"Mr. Carreido..." he tried again in a very clearly exasperated tone.

"Antonio." The Spaniard corrected with a smile, "I introduced myself last night remember?"

Lovino gritted his teeth and forced himself to hiss.

"Antonio...I simply wanted to thank you for saving me last night."

"I wanted to thank you for backing my little lie up instead of telling my guardians what we both know Lovi was really planning to do hanging off the back of the ship like he was."

Ludwig nodded.

"I thought your, as you put it, _little lie_, was the better option for all."

Feli smiled at him and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"I really don't know what has happened to my fratello lately. To even consider ending his life like that..." he broke off in a horrified whisper and Ludwig looked at him sympathetically.

"I know what you must be thinking." Lovino laughed shortly turning away from Antonio, "Poor little rich boy. What does he know about real suffering and misery."

"Oh Lovi...no." Antonio whispered gently, "No...what I was really thinking is, what could have happened to this boy to make him think that he had no other way out."

Lovino turned back and met the others knowing emerald eyes in surprise. How was it that those eyes were able to look straight through him and truly see what he tried so desperately to conceal?

"Well I..." the boy faltered, uncertain of why he felt like spilling all his worries out to the strange Spaniard, "It was everything...my whole world and everybody in it...my brother and I being paraded around as if we were prized Greyhounds...and me powerless to stop it or even go the slightest bit against our guardians' and my fiancée's wishes..."He pulled the collar of his shirt down to reveal the red mark from where Bella had slobbered on his neck the night before.

"Mio dios!" Antonio exclaimed, staring at the enormous hickey, "And I thought _Spanish _women were passionate!"

Lovino grimaced and pulled his collar closed again, "She's sent out five hundred invitations...all of the best in high society will be there and...and all the while I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a fucking crowded room screaming at the top of my lungs and nobody even looks up."

Antonio stared at the boy carefully for a few moments before he dared to fully meet his eyes.

"Do you love her?"

Lovino's eyes flashed in shock and anger.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you love her?" Antonio repeated.

"Why are...what the fuck gives you the right to ask me something like that bastard?" Lovino clenched his hands.

"Just call me a hopeless romantic." Antonio leaned on some roping, "Do you love the girl or not?"

Lovino stared at him in complete astonishment before whirling away and pacing.

"This is fucking insane. I'm not discussing my personal life with an infuriating love sick Spanish bastard. You don't know me and I don't know you, and we are not having this fucking conversation."

He stopped and turned back to Antonio with reddened cheeks and barely contained fury as he held out a hand.

"I'm leaving now. Antonio...Mr. Carreido, it has _not_ been a pleasure talking to you. I simply wanted to thank you and now I have..."

"And you insulted me a bit." Antonio smiled, a bit too cheerfully given his statement.

Lovino blanched slightly before recomposing himself still shaking the older man's hand.

"You deserved it bastard."

"Right." Antonio grinned.

"Right."

Lovino found himself _still_ shaking hands with the other man but for some reason being unable to let go until Antonio's grin spread wider.

"I thought you were leaving Lovi."

"Oh I am." The Italian snapped and broke contact heading down the deck.

"Fuck, you are so annoying!" he whirled back around and paced a bit more while Antonio watched him, trying to contain his laughter at the boy's indecision.

"Wait a moment I don't have to leave...this is my part of the ship bastard! You leave!"

He pointed in the other direction glaring smugly at Antonio.

The Spaniard laughed and leaned on the railing.

"Now you're being _rather_ rude Lovi."

The Italian found his cheeks heating up in complete embarrassment and rage as he tried to think of a good comeback. But finding none his eyes instead settled on a crimson notebook that Antonio had been carrying around with him. Lovino snatched it out of the Spaniard's startled hands before the other could even try to prevent it.

"What is that you're carrying around with you Feli?" Ludwig asked at last, eyeing the large leather folder with slight curiosity. Feliciano grinned and handed it over happily.

"So what are you some kind of writer or something?" Lovino growled looking over the sentences, the intricate and beautiful descriptions, and the heart stopping phrases that could only be song lyrics. "Well these are rather good...in fact..." he read a particularly powerful plea for a love to be returned and found his heart aching, "These are very good."

"Feliciano this is exquisite work." Ludwig breathed, slipping out yet another drawing to gaze at the perfectly captured pencil strokes and realistic portrayal.

"Grazie...but my family doesn't think much of them."

"Then they've got no understanding of true talent..." Ludwig suddenly realized what he was saying and tried to do damage control quickly, "I mean...sorry...I didn't mean to insult your family...I just..."

Feliciano laughed reassuringly and placed a hand over his, "It's all right Ludwig, I'll say it too. My family has no clue about what real art is!"

Lovino flipped to another page and read the title of the song..._My Heart Will Go On._

"And these were written from experience?" he asked Antonio softly.

"Well that's the good thing about writing from the heart...the lyrics are always with you." The Spaniard winked.

Ludwig found himself unable to smile back at the boy as he pulled out another drawing.

"Oh um..."

He stared at the figure of a young man wrapped in nothing but a white sheet. In embarrassment he slipped out more drawings to cover it but there he was again...and again.

"Um...this seems to be a favorite model of yours. You've used him several times."

"Si, Lovi is my favorite model. He's got such a perfect form and I love drawing his hands."

Ludwig blinked at him and then stared back at the drawings, noticing at last the fine curl that swept from the boys hair in the front.

"Oh...I see now." He smiled, "I guess he is a good model."

"Si!" Feliciano exclaimed again, "I only wish he would show me a better expression. He's got so much emotion pent up inside and I just hope that one day he'll decide to stop letting his pride and fear control them. I really wish that he would show me any kind of emotion once in awhile."

"Take this one for example." Antonio flipped a few pages of the notebook for Lovino and stopped on a page marked, _Volare_ at the top, "I wrote this one after a fine week in Roma."

"My home?" Lovino gasped and began to read the lyrics, "I think you must have had a love affair there based on these lyrics."

"Oh no." Antonio smiled, "It was simply the beauty of the place and envisioning what a love affair _would _feel like there."

Lovino caught his eyes and actually smiled a bit, "Well I must admit...you have a gift bastard. You capture emotions and you see the world...and people."

"I see you." Antonio smiled still more gently.

Lovino found himself flushing a bit and tried to hide it inside the book.

"Yeah and...so what?"

Antonio's smile grew still gentler but a little teasing as he leaned forward and whispered into the boy's ear.

"You wouldn't have jumped."

_~*~Private Tea Room~*~_

Elizaveta smiled over her teacup indulgently at her future daughters in law while her husband attempted to remain civil while discussing _true_ music with Alfred Jones.

"You see my dear Lili. The purpose of attending a fine university for a young man is so that he can improve an understanding of the future business he will be inheriting and at the same time meet a suitable wife. Both of the boys have already accomplished the second, and the first is slowly being explained by private instruction and Roderich's knowledge."

She placed a hand on her husband's shoulder at just the right moment, because he was about to lose his temper over the younger man's latest statement of 'classical being old fashioned and not suitable for todays generation'.

"My dear, I'm sorry to interrupt" she looked meaningfully apologetic at Alfred, "but I wished to inform you that the girls and I have finished with tea and wish to take a turn about deck."

"Would you care for an escort?" Roderich asked hopefully rising from his chair.

"Hey no need Roddy." Alfred grinned standing faster and heading over to the women, "You have that brandy to finish and I've always wanted to know what women talk about. I'll never know otherwise after all." He grinned and winked.

Roderich and Elizaveta both found their faces falling but Lili stepped up quickly and took the excited American's arm.

"By all means Mr. Jones, we'd be delighted."

Bella turned away to roll her eyes as she and a very begrudging Elizaveth followed them out of the room.

Roderich sighed and turned back to his brandy, feeling a suddenly urgent need to drink it in one gulp.

At a table nearby Captain Honda sat with Mathias Køhler as the younger but considerably taller Dane looked over a newspaper article about the _Largest, Most Luxurious_ _Ship to Come from the Homeland_. He reached over the paper and poured another cup of scotch.

"I understand you haven't lit the last four boilers yet Mr. Honda."

Kiku looked at him steadily and shook his head.

"No I have not seen the need. We are making right time."

Mathias sighed in boredom and put his hands on the table staring intently at the smaller man.

"All anyone seems to care about is the ships size...well I myself felt that way in the beginning...but now I want to marvel at her speed and power!" He slapped the table, knocking over his empty scotch glass and making the older man jump "We must give them something new to print! The maiden voyages of Hetalia's must make headlines!"

Kiku Honda recovered himself and gazed purposefully at the young enthusiastic man.

"Mr. Køhler...I'd rather not push the engines before they've been properly run in."

Mathias blinked at him and sat back with a sigh.

"Well as I'm just a passenger I of course will trust to your better knowledge and judgment."

He drummed his fingers on the table before a smile crossed over his lips and he leaned towards Kiku again.

"But just think, what an amazing feet it would be if we arrived in New York Tuesday night and surprised them. Make the morning papers. What a wonderful start to your new future in the bustling US. And I'm sure your first mate would be terribly proud of you as well, ay Kiku?"

Captain Honda blushed a bit at how the Dane seemed to know one of his most well kept secrets, as he nodded.

"There's a lad." Mathia's grinned and poured himself another scotch.

_~*~Back on Deck~*~_

"I've worked with vehicles my whole life it seems. My brother and I opened our own garage when I was fourteen but we had to close it after a few months when we moved to Berlin. Since then I've just moved between different employment, taking the best offers I could get." Ludwig explained as he leaned on the railing with Feliciano settled cross legged on the ground nearby.

"I guess you could just call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind."Antonio grinned staring back into Lovino's gorgeous eyes.

The boy sighed and leaned on the railing.

"You're too non challant about everything Antonio. What would happen if you just found yourself in the middle of nowhere?"

"Where is it?" Antonio asked intrigued.

"I don't know." Lovino grumbled, "Just some random field somewhere."

Antonio smiled and closed his eyes inhaling deeply.

"With open sky and pure green grass like your eyes Lovi..."

The Italian snorted.

"And delicate meadow flowers dancing in the breeze."

"Damnit you're too fucking good with words bastard now I'm envisioning myself there."

Antonio just smiled and didn't open his eyes.

"And there's horses...lots of breathtaking mustangs."

Lovino snorted again but his eyes were closed as well as he leaned on the railing.

"Yeah there are lots of fucking mustangs so what do we do climb up in their saddles and ride off into the sunset like in old westerns?"

"Oh no Lovi." Antonio laughed, "These are _wild_ mustangs; we have to ride them like true Caballeros."

"You mean bareback?" Lovi gasped, "Is that even possible?" his eyes were wide open now and staring into Antonio's.

"Course it is." Antonio laughed, "I've done it on several occasions."

Lovino blinked at him before turning away and mumbling quietly.

"Could you teach me?"

"Of course Lovi."

The young Italian looked up at the other with excitement.

"Teach me about car engines Ludwig."

"And how to fix them?" The German boy smiled slightly.

"And...and how to get completely filthy from them." Feliciano grinned with barely contained laughter.

"Your private tutors didn't teach you that?" Ludwig asked, feeling completely at ease around the Italian for some reason.

"Gods no." Feli giggled.

"Oh there's another thing I want to teach you Lovi come over here."

"What? No! Antonio where are you taking me bastard?"

The Spaniard dragged the younger man over to a less crowded part of the deck that looked out over the water.

"I think you probably don't know how to spit like a normal man so watch me closely."

Lovi wrenched his hand back and glared appalled at the older man.

"I do too know how to spit."

"Then show me." Antonio grinned and folded his hands expectantly.

"Like hell." Lovino snapped back.

"Come on just..."

Antonio demonstrated, much to Lovino's horror and that of some of the other passenger's nearby.

"Gods you have no sense bastard."

"Come on Lovi just try it."

Lovino found himself being pulled once more by the bright emerald eyes and pleading smile.

"I'm gonna regret this." He moaned and came over to show Antonio that he could to 'Spit like a normal man'...though what Antonio meant by normal...he hadn't a clue.

Antonio watched and then laughed.

"That was pathetic Lovi, more like a girl than a guy."

Lovino gritted his teeth and tried once more.

"Better." Antonio nodded, but you're still not getting enough phlegm. You've really got to dig down deep like this." He started to demonstrate when a shove to his arm from Lovino made him aware of the party that had just arrived.

He managed to swallow the unpleasant mixture of throat juice and snot, trying not to outwardly show a grimace.

"Ladies." Lovino managed to bow slightly with a look on his face that showed he took no pleasure in it, "You remember Mr. Carreido."

"What a pleasure to see you again before this evening Mr. Carreido." Elizaveta said a bit too syrupy.

"Charmed to learn you name at last good sir." Bella cooed batting her eyelashes.

"_The younger ladies and Alfred showed great curiosity and interest in Antonio now that they were meeting him more closely and personally, but though she did her best to outwardly hide it my guardian regarded him as a rat. A dangerous, diseased piece of vermin that should be snapped quickly."_

"Well Toni, sounds like you're a real hero like me." Alfred grinned, and then looked up as a trumpet blared out over their heads.

"Haha I just love that they announce dinner like a cavalry charge. Arthur hates it of course though." He winked.

Lili giggled and looked meaningfully at her party.

"We should probably get dressed for the evening."

Liz nodded and took the girl's smaller arm.

"Shall we Lovi _darling_." Bella smiled slipping her arm through her fiancée's.

Lovino just shrugged and started walking before he turned back with a disgruntled, "See you at dinner Antonio."

The older man grinned and nodded looking longingly after the retreating boy and completely oblivious to Alfred trying to get his attention.

"Hey buddy...Dude...Mate!"

"Huh?" Antonio blinked staring a little bit dazed at the American.

Alfred stared at him curiously.

"Do you understand what you're getting yourself into?"

"Not in the least." Antonio grinned.

Alfred chuckled slightly.

"Well...you're about to enter what I've coined _The Snake Pit_."

Antonio just stared at him.

"I don't usually care about his but Arthur insists that it's a part of how people view you...what are you gonna wear?"

Antonio simply gestured to his stained plain T and weathered slacks.

Alfred chuckled.

"I should have known. Come on pal." He put a hand on the Spaniards shoulder and steered him off down the deck.


	6. Chapter 6: The Snake Pit

_(I had fun with this part. Especially with the tiny role I gave Felix! That amused me so much...most particularly because of ANGELS!_

_Anyways...enjoy!)_

Chapter 6: The Snake Pit (A First Class Dinner)

"Well Alfred's clothes are just slightly too large for you. He's developed a gut from all those fast food restaurants in America."

"Ah come on Artie I'm muscular not fat."

Antonio smiled at the bantering pair before he turned to admire himself in the mirror again. Arthur had dressed him in one of Alfred's white button up shirts and fine black slacks. The outfit was completed by a black top coat and fine silk bowtie. While it was overly fancy to his tastes, Antonio couldn't deny that he looked rather good in them.

"We're still pretty close actually."

"See." Alfred grinned and went over to clap Antonio on the shoulder, "Now no one in the snake pit will be able to tell outright that you're different."

"I really wish you wouldn't call it that Alfred. It's just dinner." Arthur brushed some lint and hair off of Antonio's jacket before running a comb through the Spaniard's _unruly_ hair.

Alfred just grinned and winked at Antonio.

"There really aint much to it in reality. Just act like you own stocks galore and you're in the club."

Arthur finished with Antonio's hair and, with a satisfied smile, turned to admire his completed project in the mirror.

"You shine up like a new penny."

Alfred chuckled and clapped the man on the back again.

~*First Class Area*~

"Good evening sir." The butler bowed respectfully as he opened the elaborate glass door for Antonio.

The entryway and grand staircase was dotted with men in fine coats and tuxes, with women in stunning and flashy gowns, on their arms. Their chatter seemed to consist of complimenting one another on their choices of attire for the evening or their continued pleasure at the fine accommodations and grand splendor of the ship. But all of it was of little consequence to Antonio. Certainly he admired the fine marble staircase with redwood railings, as he strolled leisurely down it...nothing he had ever encountered before came close to the vast domed glass and crystal window overhead...and an enormous mahogany grandfather clock on the central landing caught his attention for a good several moments...but all in all his eyes were preoccupied with seeking out a certain young Italian man.

He leaned against a pillar casually and was ignored for the most part by the other guests. However at one point he attempted to appear more gentlemanly and placed one hand behind his back and smiled and nodded to passerby. He had to admit that he was actually enjoying himself rather immensely when he noticed that most of the Vargas party had just descended down the stairs.

"Really where are those boys." Elizaveta sighed to her husband and future daughters in law.

"Oh they'll be down shortly." Bella smiled, "Look there is the countess..."

Antonio approached the party and prepared to hold out his hand to shake theirs, but Roderich simply gave him a brief glance, smiling, and nodded politely.

Antonio blinked and turned away back to the staircase. Clearly they didn't realize who he was...Arthur and Alfred had done their job well then...

He stopped and gazed in wonder as a finely well dressed young man came down the stairs. Lovino wore much the same thing as he did but on the younger...it looked far more refined and delicate. It simply made his hair seem to shine with a hidden radiance and made his vibrant green eyes all the more prominent. He was...beautiful...and...shaking his head in bewilderment?

Lovino nearly reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped to simply stare at Antonio.

"Is that really you?" he blinked in astonishment.

Antonio grinned and simply took his hand. He raised it to his lips and brushed a gentle kiss over the boys knuckles.

"Wha..?" Lovino gaped his eyes flashing, "What are you doing fucking bastard?" he hissed.

Antonio looked a bit confused.

"I saw first class people do that in a movie once and I assumed that's how you greeted each other. I'd always wanted to try it. Did I do it wrong or something?"

Lovino gritted his teeth and stared up at the ceiling to control his temper...he was in a rather overly fancy setting after all...raising a fuss would only draw attention to the fact that Antonio still had hold of his trembling hand.

"I'm not a girl." He breathed out at last, "That's how gentlemen greet ladies."

"Oh." Antonio blushed slightly at his mistake and dropped Lovino's hand, "I'm sorry Lovi. I really did make a mistake then!"

Lovino sighed and waved a hand.

"It's fine. You didn't know. Just drop it...and don't do it again."

"No, of course not." Antonio grinned sheepishly.

Lovino sighed and stepped around him.

"Well come on then...and before you try it...no you do not take my arm either."

Antonio pulled his arm back in as that was what he was about to do.

Lovino sighed and led the way over to his party, tapping Roderich on the shoulder.

"Sir, Madame, you remember Mr. Carreido?"

The two blinked in astonishment as they took in the handsome young man they had simply given polite nods to a few moments ago.

"Carreido?" Roderich mused.

"Why that's remarkable," Elizaveta smiled a bit too sweetly, "You could almost pass for a gentleman."

Antonio caught the jibe but brushed it off with a smiling grin.

"Almost."

"Amazing." Bella breathed, entirely taken in by the man's appearance. He had been handsome before but now he was positively gorgeous...much more so than her own fiancée standing beside him and being so easily outshone. She smiled at Lovino nonetheless as she took his arm.

"Shall we go in to dinner then darling?"

Lovino shrugged and began walking after his guardians.

Lili turned to Antonio with a shy smile.

"As my escort seems to be running late would you do me the honor master Carreido?"

"I would be delighted." Antonio grinned taking her offered arm, "And you are free to call me Antonio by all means."

Lili giggled slightly and allowed herself to be escorted after her party.

~*SSH*~

The first part of the evening before dinner passed easily enough for Antonio. Lili pointed out certain guests to him and explained their assets or gossip that was going around regarding them. He payed slight interest to a young man, named Felix, in particular, who Lili stated designed 'naughty lingerie'.

"...among his many talents." She smiled with a blush and waved lightly at the green eyed blond, "The one standing next to him and looking very much nervous is his partner Toris."

Antonio nodded and grinned at the slightly long brown haired man that appeared to be doing his best to look inconspicuous.

Elizaveta turned her attention back to her husband and the albino man they were talking to.

"Well done Roderich." Vladmir Macek nodded looking approvingly at Lovino as the boy stood with Bella in conversation a few feet away, "He's splendid. And I'm sure the younger brother is as well."

"Why thank you." Roderich smiled and bowed, "We do take great pride in them."

"Well you seem to be doing well so far." A cheery voice laughed from behind Antonio and Lili. Both turned to find Alfred standing with his arm slipped through Arthur's and Feliciano bouncing nervously beside them.

"Feli there you are." Lili smiled and slipped her arm from Antonio's to greet her fiancée, "You weren't in your room when we left. I was a little worried." She took in the young man's hastily thrown on finer clothes with a small frown, "What have you been up to all day."

"Nothing much." Feliciano laughed lightly and took her arm with a cheery and thankful nod at Antonio as he lead her into the dining room, "I was just enjoying the air on deck and lost track of time. Didn't realize it was almost dinner."

Lili wondered how he could have not known it was dinner when the bugle so clearly announced it, but she didn't want to trouble him. The usually bright and energetic Italian boy seemed distracted and flighty at the moment. For some reason it caused her to feel a slight pang in the pit of her stomach.

"_I had been really rather sad to leave Ludwig and even when dinner had been sounded and he had insisted that it was time for him to leave, I continued to talk with him and ask him questions about Germany, Switzerland, Russia, France, Hungary...it seemed to me like he had been everywhere! But eventually I had been forced to admit that I was terribly late and excused myself with assurances that it was my own fault. I dressed as quickly as I could, for once not really caring about my appearance, there was no one at dinner I wished to impress. Lili was sweet in her own right but now...I was beginning to feel like that future with her might be replaced. You probably don't believe in love at first sight...I'm still not certain if that's really what it was but...I was beginning to wonder what a future away from the finery and mindless chatter would be like. Maybe a future where a sturdy German Mechanic would always smile at me."_

Feliciano nodded politely at people that greeted him and Lili but he kept taking quick glances behind him at Antonio...after all...distracted as he was...he should have been more welcoming and attentive to the man...for one thing he had been Lili's escort in his absence.

"_Vee~ he must have been nervous, but he never faltered. They assumed he was one of them. Heir to an outdoor entertainment company perhaps. New money obviously, but still a member of the club."_

"_Elizaveta of course could always be counted upon."_

"Tell us about the accommodations in steerage Mr. Carreido, I hear they're quite good on this ship."

Antonio smiled at her indulgingly and nodded.

"Why they're the best I've seen ma'am, barely any ratas in sight."

Nervous laughter broke out around the table as the members outside of the Vargas party looked at Antonio in slight confusion.

"Mr. Carreido is joining us from the third class." Roderich explained, "He was of some assistance to my son last night."

Lovino gritted his teeth at his guardians' lack of tact and decency towards their underlings before he tried to smile.

"It turns out that Mr. Carreido is quite a skilled writer. He was nice enough to let me read some of his work today."

"My fiancée and I differ in our opinions of good writing." Bella simpered sweetly, "Oh...not to belittle any of your work of course Monsieur." She batted her eyelashes seductively at Antonio and smirked behind her napkin.

Antonio simply continued to smile and nodded as he folded his napkin on his lap and looked down at his setting.

"Are these all for me?" he whispered to Alfred beside him.

"Just start on the outside and work your way in." the American whispered back with a wink.

The conversation turned quickly to the Hetalia as Mathias seemed to be praising Berwald again.

"He knows every rivet in her don't ya Bernie?"

Berwald shuddered slightly at the embarrassing nickname but calmed down when Tino placed a hand over his.

"I'm sorry to both of you for my reaction earlier." Feliciano said softly looking meaningfully at both men, "The ship truly is a wonder."

"Thank you Mr. Vargas." Berwald said softly.

Tino smiled back.

"Yes kiitos Feliciano."

The boy smiled and looked down at his plate as the first appetizer arrived.

"How do you take your caviar sir?" an elderly waiter looked curiously at Antonio as he dished what appeared to be a large pile of brown and black goop onto Niel's plate.

"No caviar for me thanks." Antonio grinned, trying hard not to scrunch up his nose in disgust, "Never really cared for it much."

Alfred chuckled and whispered incredibly low.

"Neither do me or Artie. Though his objection is simply because it's French. Mine is because it looks like something the cat ate and barfed."

Antonio hid his laugh as best he could as Elizaveta addressed him once again.

"So where do you live Mr. Carreido?"

Antonio smiled back at her and rose to the bate perfectly.

"Well right now my address is the SS Hetalia. After that I put myself entirely into the power of el Dios Todopoderoso."

"And how is it you have means to travel?" She smiled challengingly back at him.

"Well I generally make my way from place to place by selling myself as a traveling matador, though sometimes when that doesn't work, me and me amigos get jobs on tramp steamers and repairing cars and such. But I got onto Hetalia here through a lucky hand at poker...a very lucky hand." He smiled across at Lovino who rolled his eyes but smiled slightly back.

"All life is a game of luck." Alfred agreed cheerfully.

"A real man makes his own luck." Roderich shook his head, "Right Carreido?"

Antonio looked steadily back at the older man and nodded.

"And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing do you?" Elizaveta asked with a hint of scorn that made Alfred and Arthur look at her with great distaste.

Antonio contemplated what the best option was. Ignore her? Deny? No...because that wasn't how he truly felt. He actually enjoyed the freedom that his particular choices and their consequences made him feel. He actually felt more in control now, than he had as a child with the same amount of freedom, except for his parents watching carefully. It was right...it was amazing. At last he decided to speak his mind...and his heart.

"Well yes ma'm I do." He watched the critical Hungarian woman as she took a sip of Champaign, "I mean...I've got everything I need with me. Air in my lungs, a notebook in my pocket, and great friends that stand behind me through anything. I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or who I'm gonna meet...where I'm gonna wind up."

He took a bite of bread and a sip of Champaign before he continued with a grin.

"Why just the other night I was sleeping in the back of a gypsy wagon and now...well here I am on the finest ship in the world having Champaign with you fine people..."

He lifted his glass up slightly so the waiter could refill it while the table laughed appreciatively.

"I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it." He turned to look at Lovino meaningfully, "You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You gotta learn to take life as it comes at ya...think fast Rod." He tossed a box of mints that he had found in his pocket at the startled Austrian man as he addressed the company again, "To make each day count."

"Well said Toni." Alfred grinned and clapped the man on the back.

"Here here." Mathias cheered.

"To making it count." Feliciano smiled and raised his Champaign glass into the air. Lovino stared between his brother and Antonio for a few seconds before he copied his brother's gesture much to the chagrin of Bella and their guardians.

"To making it count." The majority of the table soon joined in and toasted the meaningful words of the guest Spaniard.

Antonio smiled at all of them and drank to the message as well while looking over his glass at the Italians across the way.

~*Later*~

"But Artie had no idea I had hidden the money in his least favorite novel." Alfred laughed loudly, showing the amount of Champaign he had drunk through his actions and making Arthur cringe in annoyance, "So he comes home drunk as a pig mad and lights the thing on fire."

The table burst into laughter and Arthur seemed to attempt to retreat into his seat, but gripped Alfred's arm hard in irritation.

"Bloody git."

Feliciano turned to Antonio. The table arrangements had changed slightly since dinner ended and now the Spaniard found himself between the younger Italian and the sweet Lili.

"Now it will be brandies in the smoking room." Feliciano whispered taking a large bite of sweet cake.

"Well gentlemen join me in a brandy?" Mathias grinned, as he and Niel rose from the table.

Feliciano and Antonio both grinned and Lili laughed lightly.

"Now they'll retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate each other on being masters of the universe."

"Ladies thank you for the pleasure of your company." Arthur nodded politely as he pulled his tipsy partner away towards the other room.

"Care to join us boys?" Roderich asked, looking between his two young charges.

"I'm fine here thanks." Feliciano smiled.

"What he said." Lovino sighed.

Roderich nodded and then stopped beside Antonio.

"What about you?"

"No thanks I think I should be heading back now." Antonio smiled at the imposing older man.

"Ah that's probably best. It's all business and politics. That sort of thing probably wouldn't interest you." Roderich smiled and slipped a twenty into the boys inside jacket pocket before he clapped him on the back and headed after the other gentlemen towards the smoking room.

"Oh and Carriedo..." he turned back and tossed the mints with as much force as he could muster into the boys hands, "Good of you to come."

Antonio nodded not losing his grin until Roderich and his assistant Vash were out of sight. Then he let his smile fade and breathed a sigh of relief. It was over...he had survived...though for once he had found it somewhat difficult to keep his cheery countenance...especially when Elizaveta had been grilling him so obviously. He gave another sigh and turned back to the table. Feliciano was looking at him with slight sadness in his eyes. Antonio wondered if the boy was worried about him and, though it would have made him happier to know that _Lovi_ was worried, the younger Italian was too sweet to be sad.

"Toni must you go?" the boy asked softly and with a slight whine.

"It's time for me to go row with the other slaves Feli." He grinned with a wink.

The young man laughed and stood up to give him a hug.

"I'm really sorry that Liz and Roddy behaved so coldly towards you. Please don't judge my brother and I from them."

"Like I could." Antonio laughed and stepped away with another bright smile before he went around the table to Lovino.

"Goodnight Lovi." He whispered and took the older Italian twin's hand in his own.

Lovino was terrified that Antonio was going to try and kiss it again but then he felt the slip of crinkled paper slide down into his fingertips as the Spaniard released his hand and, with another gentle smile, walked away.

Lovino waited for a few moments, his heart pounding so violently that he was sure Bella or even Elizaveta would be able to hear it, before he unrolled the slip under the table. Two clear sentences were scrawled in a fine elegant hand.

_Make it count. Meet me by the clock._

He glanced around quickly to make sure no one was watching him...except Feliciano who had a curious smile. Then he stood up and walked to his brother.

"See that Bella and Lili get to our rooms."

"Where are you going?" his brother asked raising an eyebrow.

Lovino took a breath. Where was he going? Was he really going to meet the damn Spanish bastard? Why? Maybe because...however much he tried to deny it...he wanted to know what Antonio meant by _Make it count_.

He just shook his head in response to his younger brother and walked away.

"Lovi?" Bella called after him in surprise but he just ignored her as he kept walking.

~*In front of the clock*~

Antonio waited with bated breath. There was a high possibility...a very high possibility that Lovino would ignore his words. That the Italian would decide that he wanted their strange relationship to be over. But he hoped...oh god did he hope...that the young man would let his strong will to defy his proper lifestyle, overtake his other judgments.

Footsteps on the stairs behind him made Antonio turn and his heart soared in joy. Lovino walked the few steps more till he was standing before the older man looking expectant and slightly cross.

"So..." Antonio began nervously and then grinned brightly as he gazed into the boy's eyes, "You wanna go to a real party?"


	7. Chapter 7: A Real Party

_(I want to thank Amphithere-Gray for the wonderful review...as you do not allow private messages. I hope that you, and all of the other readers continue to enjoy this story. I really do appreciate everyone's support!)_

Chapter 7: A Real Party

The air burst with the music created by so many drums, pipes and fiddles. Smoke hung heavily around the card tables and bar and wound its way throughout the entirety of the room as well. The wooden beams of the sturdy floor shook from the hundreds of pairs of feet that danced and tapped about on its surface to the beat. All of this added to all out insanity of the 'real party' and had Lovino staring in utter amazement at the complete difference of it all...compared with what he was used to.

And at the center of it all, dancing with a brown braided tan little girl, was Antonio. His movements appeared so sure and yet...so creative at the same time. Lovino wasn't certain what it was that made him wonder that but...It appeared that the _carefully studied and precise_ steps were in fact entirely...spur of the moment. As if Antonio was just letting his feet make them up as the music changed and flowed. To Lovino, who had not seen free dancing since he was a young child it was..._breathtaking_. He watched the Spaniard lead the little girl in a couple of quick twirls before he lifted her up so her smaller bare feet rested atop his boots. Then he began to dance and practically gallop about to the music with her hands clasped tight in his and making sure that she remained perfectly balanced. Lovino found himself watching the pair with a mixture of admiration at Antonio's skill and kindness and..._envy_ towards the laughing child.

Mentally kicking himself for the strange thought, Lovino turned to the person that had just arrived next to him and...stopped in surprise and outrage. The fucking huge German bastard that had arrived at the same moment as his brother last night was standing with a confused and slightly worried expression on his face. The Italian growled and looked away to pretend he hadn't noticed and didn't care but the man spoke a few moments later causing him to whirl back.

"You're the older Vargas brother right? Have you seen your younger brother pass by at all?"

Lovino gaped in surprise at the lower classman's presumption to address him without having introduced himself but his words were even more alarming.

"What does it concern you?" he growled, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"I don't want him to get into trouble or get hurt. He's somewhat small after all."

"Yeah compared to you everyone is." Lovino muttered under his breath.

The man heard him and smiled a bit sheepishly.

"I suppose that's true, but that is not the issue right now."

"And what is?" Lovino huffed, getting more irritated by the second, "Look my brother doesn't concern you. He's probably back safe and sound in our private rooms sketching away or talking sweet nothings with Lili. _Untouchable_."

Ludwig understood of course what the young man was inferring but, while he whole heartedly agreed with him that what he had gotten himself into...simply by being in a certain place at a certain time...and thereby somehow becoming friends with the excited younger Italian, that was not the problem he found himself in at the moment, _especially_ with Lovino's answer.

"Um...you didn't notice your brother sneak in here shortly after you then?"

Lovino's eyes went wide and instantly they began darting in every direction, for once completely ignoring Antonio and the girl. This was not what he had been expecting at all. This was not what he had anticipated or planned for. He had been expecting the German man to ask him to deliver a message to Feliciano or to try and sweet talk Lovino into arranging a meeting. All of which he would have very loudly used a great deal of colorful language to banish all such thoughts from the man's head. But this...This...was a disaster!

And it was at that moment when the older Italian was beginning to panic that Feliciano swept by before them, leading a pretty Asian girl in a merry gallop.

"Feliciano!" both men shouted out and then looked at each other...Lovino's more a glare.

"Ludwig!" the younger Italian cried out cheerily swinging the girl out to a different partner so he was now free to race over to them.

"And Lovi too!" he cried out and hugged his brother, "Is this really all you've been doing the entire time. You need to dance." He grinned and gripped Ludwig's arm, "Both of you."

Lovino broke free and turned his younger brother to face him.

"Feliciano Vargas what in hells name are you doing down here?"

"Enjoying a _real_ party." Feli winked and then grabbed Ludwig's hand to drag him onto the floor before he turned back to give his brother a slight smirk of defiance, "And hell no am I leaving so don't even order it."

Lovino could simply watch in utter shock as his precious younger brother disappeared back into the mob of dancers with the huge German bastard.

"Feliciano what are you doing?" Ludwig asked in confusion as he allowed the smaller man to lead him into the very heart of the dancers.

"I want to dance." Feliciano replied with a bright smile.

"You have been dancing. I'm not going to stop you, though I wish you would have told me that's what you had planned to do before you suddenly disappeared like that. But..." he looked down at his hand, clasped tightly by Feliciano's, with slight unease and growing suspicion, "Why did you drag me into this mob too?"

Feliciano's smile turned slightly seductive and he placed one hand on Ludwig's back to encourage him closer.

"I want to dance...with you."

Alarm bells went off in Ludwig's head. He looked deep into the boy's eyes to try and find some sign of intoxication or some other explanation that could explain his dangerous desire. But there was nothing but mischief and some hidden emotion that he couldn't entirely grasp. He was determined however to get out of the predicament somehow. Break free and run...he was stronger than the young Italian after all but...that would be cowardly. He should refuse point blank but...that would definitely disappoint Feliciano and...despite how much he felt uncomfortable in the situation...he wanted to change it in a way that wouldn't upset the boy. That much he was certain of...he didn't want to make Feli sad. That left the last truthful way.

"I can't dance." He sighed lamely and made to drop the young man's hand and step away and out of the crowd but if anything Feliciano's grip seemed to have become tighter and his eyes looked more excited and insistent.

"Then I'll lead for now. Just follow me and let the music guide you. After awhile you may find yourself able to lead me." He grinned and then lead them into a quick paced dance that required a lot of turns and some jumping from foot to foot.

As the dance changed Antonio stopped and leaned down to address the little girl.

"I'm gonna dance with him now ok?" he gestured over in Lovino's direction, not caring that the Italian wasn't looking at him at all and seemed to have a worried frown on his face.

He strode over and took the young man's hand.

"Come on Lovi, let's dance."

"What?" Lovino shouted as he was dragged onto the dance floor quite confused and not at all pleased, "I don't know these dances. And we're both guys bastard."

Antonio laughed merrily as he pulled the smaller man closer.

"Don't worry about that Lovi. I don't know this dance either. Just go with it. Let the rhythm, and me, be your guide."

Lovino was about to protest but Antonio was looking past him at the little girl who's face had turned into an adorable pout.

"Aww you're still my best girl Rachelle." He winked. At which the child giggled and began to twirl by herself.

Antonio laughed and then began to dance, holding Lovino close and leading him with both hands, one clasping his and the other on the small of his back. He lead them round and round the cramped space, how they never bumped into other couples was an amazing mystery to Lovino, but he couldn't complain after all. Hell if he would ever admit it to anyone but...he was having the time of his life. Like his entire life he was not in control, and yet, for once...he had never felt freer.

Feliciano found himself twirling underneath Ludwig's arm, much to the surprise of them both and when he came back to face the strong German, he found him blushing furiously, and endearingly.

"Sorry I...I don't know why I did that. I don't know what came over me..."

Feliciano laughed, "Well I do." He changed his position so that his hand now rested on Ludwig's upper arm close to his shoulder, "You're guided by the music and it's telling you that it's your turn to lead."

Ludwig's eyes went wide.

"No...I can't...I can't do this..." he tried to break away but he made the mistake of looking into Feliciano's eyes and he was...lost, "All right."

He tentatively took a few steps pulling the young Italian with him in shaky movements but soon, after taking a deep breath and letting the music sink back in, his steps became more confident and he found that he could lead the boy around with ease. Feliciano was laughing merrily and he himself couldn't stop his slight smile from growing wider and eventually turning into light escapes of joy. It all felt so unreal, dancing about on the floor for the first time while carefully holding the most amazing, most surprising...and most beautiful young man that he had ever been acquainted with. In that moment he put aside all reasoning that his actions were wrong, on so many levels, and just focused on the here and now for once in his life.

As the song's pace turned into a solo guitar playing a quick jiglike rhythm Feliciano watched excitedly as people began jumping onto a slightly raised platform near the center of the room and began dancing solo. Their feet simply moved to the music and some even had their eyes closed so as not to be distracted by the rest of the room. They were letting go and...he wanted to as well.

"Hang on for a bit Ludwig." He whispered, racing away towards the pair he had just caught sight of. He grabbed quickly onto his brother's arm and looked apologetically at Antonio.

"Sorry Toni, I need to borrow fratello for a moment."

Antonio blinked at him in confusion but let the startled Lovino be dragged away and up onto the platform.

"What are we doing?" Lovino hissed at his younger brother, acutely aware that most everyone in the room was now staring at them.

"Dancing." Feliciano laughed and began to perform several random steps till he became fully in tune with the music and was tapping about to his heart's content.

"I already was." Lovino grumbled but after watching his brother for a few moments he decided to join in and _attempt_ to upstage him.

The two Italian's stepped around each other in a good amount of skipping feet and perfect rhythm. What one did, the other always tried to do better and add onto. It had become a battle of footwork and style and no one else seemed to be aware of the competition taking place right before their eyes. To them, the twins moved in harmony, stepping together and away in perfect sink, and knowing where and when the other was going to step, in order to dance teasingly out of the way.

Feliciano linked his arm through his brother's and they twirled in a windmill do-se-do to the woops and hollars of the crowd. Then he grabbed both of Lovino's hands in a criss-cross formation and began to spin them both about with incredible speed.

"Feli, no, stop!" Lovino tried to protest through his gritted teeth.

Feliciano only let out a whoop of mirth and broke into hysterical laughter. Lovino tried to keep his mouth shut and the laughter in but it was a lost cause...he was having fun dammit...no one here apart from Antonio and his brother knew him...and...he fucking didn't care anymore.

Antonio was ready when Feliciano abruptly let go of Lovi's hands and the older Italian's momentum carried him backwards and off of the platform into his waiting arms. He looked down at the boy's laughing face and sparkling eyes slightly laced with tears caused by the exertion, and found himself grinning.

"So you do know how to have fun."

He half expected Lovino's character to quickly change back to its harsh annoyed normal state but the younger man just shook his head quickly and continued to gasp from his laughter.

"Course I do bastard."

Antonio chuckled and helped the boy over to a seat so that he could rest and regain his breath.

For the most part Ludwig had been prepared as well. He had caught Feliciano when the dizzy and disoriented boy had stumbled towards the edge of the stage. Now he was holding him upright partially by holding him a bit above the floor while the young man giggled into his chest.

"I made Lovi laugh." He gasped and started coughing a bit from lack of breath wiping tears away on Ludwig's shirt, "He hasn't laughed in years. Not since nonno died. I've missed his laughter."

Ludwig simply nodded, utterly confused as to what else to do.

~*~First Class~*~

Roderich Edelstein leaned against the fireplace mantle in conversation with Arthur. He had to admit that the British gentleman was a far better conversationalist than he would have expected, well at least compared to his younger American partner at any rate.

"Did you truly live for an entire year in Vienna Mr. Kirkland?"

"I did sir. We had a fine house to. Not nearly as fine as your mansion I'm sure but, we liked it well enough." Arthur smiled politely and took a small sip from his teacup.

"Well naturally you were not as well off back then as you find yourself now. I must admit though your manners are flawless for the short amount of time you've been a gentleman."

Arthur tensed slightly and took another sip of tea to calm himself.

"My good fellow, I have always been a gentleman...simply not one of great wealth. My mother instilled in me and my brothers proper manners from the time we could walk and talk. And she takes great pride in me for taking them to heart and employing them always. Regrettably, I cannot say the same for my brothers." He sighed and looked wistfully at the clock.

Roderich smiled and was about to question him further on his _unmannered_ brothers but was interrupted by a tap on his arm. He turned to face the attendant with confusion and slight annoyance.

"Yes what is it man. Tell me quickly. As you can see I'm in conversation." He nodded to Arthur.

"I'm sorry sir but I was told to deliver a message to you."

"A message from who?" Roderich asked with confusion, and slight concern that something might have gone amiss with his family, the boys had been acting rather odd lately...well more so than usual.

"It's from your personal butler." The attendant supplied, "He says that your sons disappeared after dinner and none of the rest of your party knows where to. He has a suspicion though so he has gone to investigate."

Roderich's eyebrows knit in understanding and concern. He had a suspicion too.

"Thank you for delivering his message. You may go." He waved a dismissive hand and the attendant bowed and was gone.

Roderich turned back to the fire and gazed at the dancing flames as his mind worked furiously.

_Those boys had better not disgrace me. I expect Vash will find them before that become even a possibility though._

He gripped the mantle with irritated strength and didn't look up even when Arthur tried to engage him again in conversation.

~*~Third Class~*~

Antonio reached over a pair of men that were arm wrestling and grabbed two glasses of rum. He passed one to the fully recovered Lovino, and by fully recovered he meant...back to his same uncaring and mostly agitated state...before he took a gulp from his own. Lovino, meanwhile, proceeded to chug half of his glass before he looked over at Antonio's startled face.

"What? You think a first class boy can't hold more than Champaign and brandy?"

Antonio chuckled.

"Actually considering what the brandy did to you last night...no I didn't."

Lovino growled but smiled slightly.

"I'm not under stress tonight bastard. I'm no lightweight."

Antonio chuckled again.

"I can see that."

Feliciano grinned at Ludwig and drank some of the beer. Ludwig blinked at him in confusion but decided not to say anything. His arm was jerked up suddenly as someone came crashing into them and his beer was sloshed all over the young Italian. He grabbed the drunk's jacket and forced him away from the young man.

"Get out of here." He turned back to Feliciano who was shaking himself off with a supercilious grin, "Are you all right?"

The boy looked back at him and nodded, laughing.

"Yeah I'm fine. You worry too much Ludwig! I'm a lot tougher than I look."

He grinned and went over to a table where to burly men were arm wrestling and smoking cigarettes.

"So..." Feliciano smirked and removed a cigarette from one of their startled mouths. He took a quick drag on it, "You think you're all big tough men?" He blew out a perfect stream of white smoke into their faces before he stepped away into a clear space, "Let's see you do this." He kicked off his shoes and socks so that he stood perfectly barefoot before them. "Catch me if I start to fall Ludwig. Only if I start to fall."

The tall German nodded and watched with the others as Feliciano took a deep breath in preparation. The small Italian roes one leg into the air and slightly up. His foot touched his other knee, then his inner thigh, then up to his chest. All the while he balanced perfectly on one leg. The bigger men watched in amazement as the Italian grabbed his foot and raised it higher to his chest, up to his shoulder...he had to be in so much pain from his crotch by now...but if he was he didn't let it show at all on his perfectly composed face, eyes closed and mouth set in a firm determined line. The final step...he swiftly brought the foot over his head and let it rest behind on his neck. He stood that way for a good few moments before his face began to show pain and he toppled sideways into Ludwig's waiting arms. His foot had come down hard in the process and as both of them hurt he leaned on the German heavily.

"Blimey." One of the men breathed and turned to his companion who was also starring in awe.

"Well that's a sight make no mistake." One of the women nearby tittered and the other's near her nodded in agreement.

Ludwig carefully held onto the Italian who was once more laughing and leaning backwards carelessly.

"Are you all right?" he asked, intensely worried that the young man might have strained himself...god it looked like that must have hurt at least somewhat.

"I haven't done that since I was a child." Feliciano gasped and clutched onto Ludwig tighter.

The German smiled and looked down at the jovial boy. Feliciano's laughter really was something else. It instantly made him happy and quieted any misgivings or worries that his rational brain tried to come up with.

"Hey the dancing has started again." Feliciano grinned and grabbed Ludwig's hand. The two joined a chain and Feliciano found himself directly across from Lovino who...though no longer laughing...still had a broad smile on his face as he closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh.


	8. Chapter 8: They've Got You Trapped

Chapter 8: They've Got You Trapped

The morning wind slipped appreciatively through the open windows of the private promenade deck and played with everything that it could. The tablecloth whipped up and down and the woman's skirts were blown this way and that under the table. Generally the breeze's antics would have given the young man great joy. He always loved the feel of it tugging at his clothes and hair, especially the one random curl that never behave anyways...the wind made it go crazy. Today however, he was too preoccupied to enjoy the cool wind.

Feliciano looked across the table at his guardian. Elizaveta didn't meet his eyes and turned away to accept another spot of tea from their maid servant. Feliciano waited and just stared into his own cup of coffee. He absently twirled a spoon about in a half hearted attempt to mix the cream in. But all of his attention was placed in wondering and worrying about why the older woman had insisted he wake up earlier than usual in order to have Sunday breakfast with her instead of with his brother and the two young ladies.

At last Elizaveta met his eyes and placed her teacup back onto its saucer with an audible clink.

"Lili was disappointed you didn't come to her last night. She does so enjoy your late night talks."

Feliciano, caught his breath and tried to stop his hands from shaking. He took a breath to calm himself and tried to reply cheerily but with all pretense of being exhausted.

"I was tired." He, covered a yawn as a further proof to his point, "Perhaps if I could get more sleep before mass I might..."

"Your exertions below deck were _no doubt_ exhausting." Elizaveta interrupted with a mocking heir.

Feliciano blinked and set his coffee cup onto the table as his cheeks heated with embarrassment and...annoyance?

"So Vash did follow me then. How typical."

Elizaveta was slightly taken aback at her younger charges apparent change in attitude and lack of respect towards his superiors and protectors, but her temper quickly caught up with her and she firmly placed her palms on the table looking directly into his eyes.

"You will not behave like that again Feliciano. Do you understand?"

He stared back at her while biting his lip slightly in uncertainty. Never had he gone against his guardians wishes. Unlike Lovino, all he wanted to do was please the kind young couple that had taken them in directly after their grandfather had died. They had shown the twins nothing but kindness and attentiveness, and he greatly appreciated that. But on the other hand, Liz had actually shown more care towards him and practically babied him despite his age. She treated him like he was a little child, while Roderich...occasionally he felt like the stern Austrian man simply looked at him like a puppy. He laughed slightly as he envisioned in his mind Roderich standing over him with a newspaper pointed directly at his face chiding, "Bad! Bad Feliciano! You must stop breaking things! I will put you outside this time if you do not learn to behave! It's raining out there you know!" He laughed outright at the look of pure annoyance beneath his guardian's glasses.

"This is not funny Feli." Elizaveta growled, snapping the young Italian out of his mind and back to the issue.

She was right. The situation wasn't funny. Much as he would like to brush it off as he always managed to and just say that he had forgotten he made any such agreement in the future...this time he felt farely certain that that would not work this time. He looked back into his guardian's eyes and the cold anger that he saw there made something inside him snap.

How dare she? How dare she order him around?! He was 18 years old and not quite such the weakling everyone treated him as. He was not an idiot. He assumed that his brain functioned like any young man of his age. The only difference between himself and them was that...he didn't let the world's expectations stop him from wanting to make the most out of his life...and right now...what he wanted most out of his life...was to see Ludwig again. To see him...be near him...touch him...hopefully. He had felt so comfortable in the German's strong arms when they had danced the night before and the devil take anyone that stood in his way.

Elizaveta was still watching him with that sharp calculating glare.

"Feliciano, answer me. Do you understand?"

He clenched a fist on his knee and stared back at her challengingly.

"I am not your son. I am not even a child that you can command. I am a young man of 18 with a life of my own."

Elizaveta's eyes went wide she stood up abruptly.

"Not a child?...Not my...?"

Her eyes suddenly blazed in complete fury and she slammed her hands onto the table making the china-wear rattle dangerously and the water glasses tip over spilling their contents all over the white cloth.

"Damn you boy! You are my child if I say you are!"

Feliciano was astonished by her harsh words and attitude. The rattling hurt the slight headache that he had woken up with, a punishment for all the beer he had consumed last night he supposed, and the all out change in the woman's conduct had caused him to flinch back into his chair.

"How dare you talk back to me in that way!" the older woman continued. She kicked out with a foot, catching one of the table's legs and causing the momentum to send the small piece of furniture, and everything previously on its surface, crashing to the deck. Her path cleared she ran forward and gripped the young man's arms with such force that he cried out in pain.

"Liz...Liz stop! Please!" he gasped, but his return of weakness made the woman's fury only grow and she used her weight to slam him against the back of the chair while she shouted at him with all the authority that she felt she had.

"You may not officially be my son by law, but that does not mean that you should not treat me as your actual parent. And damned be all if you will not honor me! You will honor me! You will honor me the way a child is required to honor their parents! Because I will not be made a fool Feliciano. And I will not permit you to make a fool of Roderich either." Her rant turned into a quiet hiss at the end as she stared directly into his terrified eyes.

"Is this in any way unclear?"

Feliciano shook his head rapidly, desperate for her to let him go...for the pain that was shooting through him, from where her nails dug through his loose shirt into his flesh, to end. It took all his strength to at least keep the tears from escaping. He would not show her that weakness...usually he didn't care...in the past his guardian had been the one he would go to when he was upset, but now...after what she had done...he would never show her tears again...never again.

"No." he gasped meeting her eyes once more, "I understand."

"Good." She hissed, before releasing him and straightening with a slight nod.

"Scuse me." She smoothed out her dress and walked calmly away down the deck in the direction of hers and Roderich's private room.

After he was sure she had gone Feliciano clutched his arms tight around himself and buried his face in them letting the shaking sobs escape him at last.

"Oh Feli!" Lili exclaimed rushing over to him. She had witnessed the majority of the disagreement through the barely open sitting room door and had been completely shocked by Elizaveta's behavior towards the gentle Italian boy.

Feliciano tried to swallow his tears and gave a choking laugh as he turned to Lili.

"I'm sorry Lili. You must think I'm a weakling. Crying over such a little thing as this accident." He gestured to the smashed contents of the table and the overturned instrument itself.

_So that's the story he's going to use then? _

"No." Lili shook her head and hugged him gently, "It's all right."

"I'm...I'm so clumsy...I accidentally knocked the table when I was swinging my legs. Liz was really upset. I got tea on her dress. She went to go change...I...I should really clean this up."

He got shakily down onto his knees and began desperately to pick up the broken pieces of china but Lili caught his hand to stop him from accidentally cutting himself. She looked directly into his eyes and wiped away the drops of moisture that clung to his delicate eyelashes. As she gazed at him she desperately tried to make him see that she knew...that she knew everything.

"It's all right Feli." She whispered.

He did understand. He could see the contained shock and anger at Liz in her eyes and the sympathy towards him as well. So she thought he was weak as well? Well let her then. Let all of them. He would keep playing the innocent weak and obedient boy for now. After all...that had served him well in the past. Playing weak and innocent meant that he didn't get as harshly scolded. That he wasn't hurt...that others left him alone. When you acted open, happy and clueless...people believed that you truly were...that you had nothing to hide...well let them believe that...let them believe that he really was completely happy with his life...that he didn't want something different...that he didn't long for complete freedom beneath a blue sky and with even bluer eyes gazing down at him.

Feliciano let himself continue to cry so that Lili clutched him to her tightly and let him bury his face into her shoulder. All the while his mind was focused on something beyond his pain and fright. His escape. He would play the perfect little charge for the voyage. Make his guardian's and the two young women believe that nothing was wrong. When the ship docked...he would run...run with all the speed that he kept secret from his family...The speed and agility that he had mastered in secret, out in the small wood by the Edelstein mansion. Yes he would run...he would find Ludwig and drag him with him. The only things he would regret losing were Lovi and Lili...his brother...and the sweet girl that he truly considered a sister. Maybe...just maybe he really would give her the Attraversare delle Fate as something to remember him by...or maybe he would keep it and give it to Ludwig as proof of his affection for the larger man. Love at first sight...Love can make people do crazy things. He laughed lightly which Lili took as a good sign and pulled away smiling.

"You feel better then?"

He nodded and wiped his eyes.

Yes he felt better...he was going to be reckless...throw everything he had away for a love that was probably entirely one sided and would amount to nothing...but still...hell if reason had ever stopped him before!

~*Slightly Later*~

Lovino pretended to take no notice when the door to his room opened. He simply continued to work at his stubborn Sunday suit and tie while he stared at his reflection in the full length wardrobe mirror. But Roderich would not be ignored for long as he slammed the door behind him and walked over to begin straightening out the young man's attire himself.

"You are not to see that young man again." He said harshly as he tucked the white shirt into Lovino's pants.

Lovino responded by rolling his eyes which Roderich caught in the mirror's reflection.

"Lovino." He snapped sharply, "I forbid it."

"Ha" Lovino sneered, "Like you could ever actually forbid me from doing anything, moron."

Roderich's eyes flashed and he whirled the boy around to face him slamming him back against the wardrobe.

"This is not a game. Our situation is at present precarious. Your marriage to Bella is ensured but Lili's parents could still decide to break off her engagement to Feliciano. And I will not have you making that more possible by behaving in such an uncouth and disgraceful manor." He dropped the boy's arms and began the task of fixing his tie, "I don't understand you. It is a fine match with Bella, you should be grateful that she has stayed true to you despite all of your unpleasant attributes."

Lovino snorted then smirked, quickly recovering from the shock of finding himself pinned.

"Well I expect that your agreement with her has something to do with it."

Roderich stiffened and stared calculatingly back at his young charge as he spoke softly.

"Agreement?"

"How much did you promise to let her keep?" Lovino continued not taking his cold stare off of the older man.

"How much?" Roderich did not break eye contact to even blink.

"My inheritance." Lovino smirked, "How much of my inheritance did you promise that young chit she could keep at my early death?"

Roderich's gaze still did not falter but Lovino could tell that he had tensed up considerably.

"Oh I know all the plans. Quite easy isn't it? Accidents happen so easily in America. Innocent citizens get killed every day by crazed shooters. How convenient for you and Liz if your elder charge were to be the _unfortunate _victim of a serial killer. And so soon after coming of age and being married too."

Roderich's hand flew quicker than Lovino could react and the young man was sent reeling back against the wardrobe once more as the slap rattled his skull. The older gentleman composed himself once more as he headed for the door and slipped a key out of his pocket.

"You appear to be out of sorts today Lovino. I will tell the rest of our party that you will not be joining us for mass today. Bella will be greatly disappointed and worried naturally, so I will send her to check on you later on. In the meantime I suggest you try and rest. Put some cold compresses on that cheek of yours, it should bring down the stinging and swelling."

Just as he was about to close the door and lock the young Italian away his voice dropped lower and took on a slightly icy tone.

"Oh and you are right. America is a very dangerous place. Sometimes serial killers quite enjoy targeting more than one of the same bloodline. Siblings..._twins. _Yes it's a very dangerous place indeed."

Lovino was too slow across the floor, so he only managed to slam into the closed door with his fists and scream.

"Fucking bastard! Damn you! Stay the hell away from my brother! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you if you even think about hurting him!"

He jiggled furiously at the handle and kicked the door several times to try and force it open but all of his efforts were no good and it only succeeded in exhausting him so that he slumped to the floor with his fists clenched against the sturdy oak door.

"Damn you!" he choked through the tears that had started to flow, "And damn myself. I knew you were only planning on having _me_ assassinated. Feli was safe...but now...thanks to my anger getting ahold of my tongue once more..." he lay his head against the door and continued to sob, "Damn. Feli. I have to warn him. I have to convince him that I'm telling the truth. I have to..."

But even as he knew that he had to tell his younger twin about the danger now facing them both, he also faced the reality that at present, locked securely in his room...that was impossible.

~*First Class Dining Area*~

Kiku Honda lead the chorus of the hymn as he looked out over the majority of the first class passengers that had gathered for Sunday Services. In the third row, the Edelstein party was singing sweetly in their different vibratos but he noted that, while they appeared to be singing the song quite reverently and fervently, most of them also seemed to have a distracted heir. Roderich kept glancing over his shoulder as if he expected someone to come bursting into the room at any moment, Elizaveta kept playing with her hair absentmindedly and glancing over at her younger charge, Lili was also looking at the young man but her expression held something like sympathy and fear, Bella was biting her lip occasionally and fidgeting around rather agitatedly, as for Feliciano, the young man was the one that seemed to be keeping up his outward appearance the most, but Kiku could see behind that supposedly devoted and fixed gaze, something akin to rebellion and plotting.

_Yes, _the small captain mused to himself, _They are a most interesting party indeed. _

~*SSH*~

Antonio made his way quickly down the stairs in the first class area. Now that he was out of respectable clothes and back in his normal attire, most of the passengers in the area were giving him strange, even cold stares and none at all spoke a word or even gave an acknowledging nod. Nope, unlike last night, he was back to being a regular third class passenger and they all knew it. He grew more nervous now as he approached the dining hall where he could hear fervent singing emerging.

_Ah Sunday Mass. _He smiled_, I guess I'm probably missing our less organized version below decks at the moment._

He shrugged and grinned slightly as he grabbed onto a post of the staircase and propelled himself down more steps. At the clock landing he stopped briefly when he spied familiar faces.

"Hello Mr. Oxenstierna. Mr. Väinämöinen." He grinned and nodded his head at the two men in respect.

The taller simply stared back at him not exactly knowing how to respond but Tino smiled and nodded back.

"Why hello Toni."

Antonio grinned and continued his way downstairs till he could see the fine ornamented doors that lead into the dining hall...and the attendants could see him.

"Sir." The smaller one said nervously and tried to bar his way into the hall, "Sir you're not supposed to be in here."

"I just need to..." Antonio began but was interrupted by the taller attendant coming to the aid of his fellow. He pushed his glasses up his nose and faced the Spaniard square on, "Sir I must ask you to leave."

"But I was just here last night." Antonio tried lamely, "You don't remember me?"

"No sir I'm afraid I don't." the stern Blond responded calmly, "Now if you would please just..."

"Ah he'll tell you." _I hope_. Antonio tried to smile at the sharp figure of Vash Zwingli that had just pushed open the doors.

"I just need to..." he tried again but Vash interrupted him easily.

"Mr. and Mrs. Edelstein continue to be appreciative of your assistance. They asked me to give you this in gratitude." He held out a crisp 50 dollar bill.

"I don't want your money I just..." Atonio began again but once again the smaller blond man interrupted him with a slightly louder tone than before.

"And also to remind you that you hold a third class ticket and your presence here is no longer appropriate."

"Please I just need to speak to Lovino for a few..." Antonio was growing desperate now but Vash had still not lost his cool as he held out fifties to the two crewmen.

"Gentlemen would you please see that Mr. Carreido gets back to where he belongs and that he stays there?"

"Yes sir." The two men took the money with slight surprise but both pocketed it quickly and turned their attention to Antonio each taking one of his arms and forcing him to walk away.

The young Spaniard kept glancing over his shoulder to see Vash still standing before the doors with his hands behind his back smartly. And Antonio wasn't the only one looking over his shoulder. As the song neared its end Feliciano turned his attention back to the ship captain but his mind was still racing from what he thought he had witnessed. Antonio had been outside the doors, probably trying to get in to talk with Lovino. But it appeared that Vash had made sure that he wasn't successful and the two crewmen had forcefully marched the young man away. Feliciano looked sideways at Roderich. He hadn't believed his guardian's assurances that Lovino was out of sorts and needed rest and therefore would not be attending mass. He had heard the pounding and indecipherable screaming coming from behind his brother's door. And he was almost certain that the only way an upset Lovino would stay shut in, was if he was being forced to by a locked door. Feliciano tried to keep his voice from shaking on the notes of the song as he slipped his hand nimbly into Roderich's coat tail pocket and closed his fingers around the key. With a swift but subtle movement his hand was back out of Roderich's coat and into his own as he finished the final words of the song with triumph.

~*First class deck*~

Lili gazed in awe about the steering quarters.

"I've never been on a ship before." She breathed in astonishment and delight, "This place just keeps opening up new discoveries. Like, why are there two wheels?"

Berwald nodded his head and smiled slightly.

"Ah yes I can see where that could be confusing. Well the one is generally used near shore only."

Tino nodded and beamed at his incredibly knowledgeable partner. But his smile turned into a surprised frown as one of the crewmen came up to captain Honda waving a piece of paper.

"Sir we've just received another ice warning. This one is from the Ukko."

Kiku Honda calmly accepted the note before dismissing the man and turning back to the uncertain group of eyes watching him.

"There's nothing to fear." He smiled ever calmly, "This is very common for this time of year. In fact we're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit."

~*SSH*~

Antonio gripped onto another bar and hoisted himself up still farther. He was suddenly very grateful for all those times when he had been forced to climb up high fences to escape the officers chasing him. The experiences had broken his fear of heights as well as making him strong and agile. And now, as he hoisted himself up over the top railing and landed silently on the upper class deck, he actually sent good vibe thanks to those officers. He nimbly slipped behind a shade curtain to avoid being seen by some gentlemen teaching a small boy chess. As he slipped out of the shade curtain once more he noticed a jacket and top hat lying conveniently upon a deck chair. It had been years since he had last stolen something and he had told himself that never again would he stoop to that level, but...desperate times call for desperate actions.

_And really..._he reassured himself as he slipped the clothes off and donned them. _I'm only borrowing them temporarily._

~*SSH*~

"Mr. Oxenstierna. Forgive me. I hope I'm not being impolite and forward. See I've done the calculations in my head based on the number of lifeboats and the capacity you said each can hold. And, forgive me, but I'm thoroughly alarmed that there doesn't seem to be enough space for everyone on board."

Berwald raised his eyes and smiled slightly, rather impressed at the young Italian's observation skills.

"They can't even hold half actually." He admitted.

Tino beamed at the young man even as he squeezed his partner's hand reassuringly.

"Feli you really miss nothing do you?!"

Feliciano tried to smile but he still looked thoroughly worried as he walked slightly behind the rest of the party.

"When I first designed the ship I put in some special low walled divots that could hold several boats." Berwald explained, "But it was thought...by some...that the deck would look too cluttered. So I was overruled and the design was changed."

Feliciano nodded in understanding and smiled reassuringly to show that he did not blame the tall stern looking man for the oversight.

"It's a waste of deck space as it is on an unsinkable ship." Bella scoffed, turning her nose at the cloth covered boats.

"You can sleep soundly young Feli." Tino smiled as the group headed on, "Berwald has built you a fine ship. She's sound and true, with all the lifeboats you'll need. We just keep heading along aft and the next stop will be America."

Feliciano was about to follow after them when someone grabbed his arm. He whirled to find a pair of sparkling emerald eyes, slightly shaded by a ridiculous top hat, staring down at him.

"Toni?" he breathed and then allowed himself to be lead away from the party and inside a spacious day room.

"I need to talk to Lovi." Antonio said breathlessly, looking intently at the younger twin, "Where is he."

Feliciano sighed.

"He and Roderich had some form of argument this morning and I believe that he ended up locked in his room."

Antonio's eyes flashed in surprise and anger.

"Your guardian locked him in his room?! But he's a grown man of 18!"

Feliciano laughed nervously.

"I told you I don't know what happened fully, only that Roderich told us Lovi was out of sorts and wouldn't be joining us for mass today, and earlier I had heard screaming and pounding coming from Lovi's room."

Antonio was still in shock and now his fists clenched and his eyes turned hard. Nobody in any way hurt or threatened his Lovino. Nobody.

He caught himself in surprise then and put a hand to his head.

_His _Lovino? Since when had he started thinking of the fiery young Italian as being his?

Feliciano seemed to be watching his confused thoughts with growing understanding because he smiled and slipped his hand into his pocket to pull out the precious key.

"It's fortunate for you though that I have nimble fingers and the ability to appear so accepting that little actions like thievery go undetected. I swiped this from Roderich's pocket earlier."

He proffered the key to a bewildered Antonio who accepted it after a few moments with a grin and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Why Feli you continue to amaze me, you wonderful mischievous boy."

Feliciano smiled brightly at that and then turned slightly serious again.

"Our quarters are the very last of hallway C and it shouldn't be hard to find Lovino's room once inside. It's the one with the "Keep Out Bastards" sign on the door.

Antonio laughed and leaned forward to kiss the boy on both cheeks.

"Grazie Feli you're amazing. I will pay you back someday I promise."

Feliciano blushed and he looked at the floor suddenly scuffing his feet.

"How about today?"

Antonio blinked at him.

"Que?"

The young man bit his lip before meeting Antonio's eyes once more.

"Information for information. I want to know where Ludwig is."

"Ah." Antonio smiled knowingly, "I thought as much."

He sighed and put a hand on the smaller man's shoulder.

"You do realize that Ludwig may not feel the same way about you right? He's got a tough shell to begin with, but when it comes to things like emotions and accepting them for that matter...I don't think I've ever seen him show much. Last night was probably one of the only times I've seen him genuinely smile in ages. Although..." his smile turned more cheerful and he met the Italian's auburn brown gaze with a hopeful smile, "You might have had something to do with that."

Feliciano caught his breath and smiled hopefully as well.

"Well if you want to find Ludwig, the best place to look is probably the third class deck. He'll most likely be towards the front by the railing."

Feliciano nodded and Antonio held out his hand.

"Good luck to you Feliciano Vargas."

The younger man grinned and shook the others hand firmly.

"Thanks. And good luck to you Antonio Carreido."

~*Third Class Deck*~

Everyone was staring at him, he was well aware of that. Even the deck hands were completely bewildered as to why a first class passenger would be down on the third class deck and walking as if he had a purpose. Well let them stare, because he did have a purpose, he was determined to find Ludwig and make him listen. Make him understand his feelings, and maybe, just maybe...convince him to see if with time, he could come to love Feli as well.

"Well look what came down to our level." A smirking voice called out startling Feliciano from his thoughts. Straight ahead of him was a group of men that he was aware of meeting last night. The one that had spoken, a strange _albino?_ with daring red-violet eyes had his arm around a boy that looked about Feli's age with light violet eyes and incredibly light blond hair that curled up in a strange curly-cue at the tip of his forehead. The boy also seemed to be in a bit of a predicament as the albino was not the only one with an arm around him. On the other side a bright blue eyes and blond haired man was smoking on a cigarette with one hand while the other while the other was thrown around the silver boy's shoulder. This man blew out a puff of smoke as he regarded Feliciano before he smiled seductively and spoke with a heavily French accent.

"Peraps e is lost?" he flicked his cigarette backwards over the railing and stood up straighter to address the young Italian."

"Is dat it bello? Ave you lost your way?"

Feliciano blushed slightly at being called beautiful in his own language as he shook his head.

"N...no...I'm looking for someone...I..."

"Feli?" a deep startled voice spoke from behind him and he whirled around to find Ludwig staring at him in confusion, disbelief, and...could that really be anger? He certainly hoped not.

"Yo bruder. So you know the kid?" the albino grinned waving a lazy hand at the larger man.

Ludwig simply nodded not taking his eyes off the young Italian for a second.

"Oh ho I remember im now!" Francis clapped, "E was dat first class passenger at ze party last night. You remember the one? He got his foot behind his head."

"I remember." The boy between said nervously, "I actually danced with him a bit at one point."

"Ah your right." Gilbert grinned and looked meaningfully at the small Italian, "And he's also the one that was looking down at Ludwig two days ago. Kesesese, what'd I tell ya bruder. You're a handsome son of a bitch to catch a first class cutie like him's attention."

Both Feliciano and Ludwig blushed at that but Feliciano was determined to speak and it was now or never.

"Ludwig we need to talk."

The German sighed and shook his head.

"Feliciano this has to stop. Apart from both being guys you're from high society and I'm...well a mechanic."

"I don't care." Feliciano trembled clenching his hands, "I don't care about class differences or that two guys is generally frowned upon. All I care about is you and..."

"Stop." Ludwig interrupted shaking his head once more and closing his eyes with a sigh, "I don't want to hear a confession. I don't care about what you think you feel for me. I have no idea why you took interest in me or why you seem to think that interest has grown. Dancing with you last night was a mistake. I can see now that it has only confused you more but..."

"That had nothing to do with how I feel!" Feliciano shouted in frustration, "I had been feeling that way long before. I don't know how it happened so fast or why but I...I just..."

He trailed off and Ludwig put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes once more.

"If you don't know how, why, or where your feelings came from then forget them. And forget me...because I don't feel the same. I'm sorry."

Feliciano kept his head lowered and bit back the tears that he normally would have let escape without thinking. But he couldn't cry in front of Ludwig. Not when the stronger man was rejecting him. He wouldn't let anyone see his weakness at the moment. There would be time to cry later...alone...in his room.

Ludwig was still staring at the younger man before he let out a final sigh and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're going to be fine Feliciano Vargas. Lili is a wonderful, beautiful girl, and from what you've told me about her you seem to do well together. She'll make you happy I'm certain of that."

Feliciano still did not look even as he stiffened at the man's words and touch.

Ludwig dropped his hand away again and stepped back turning around.

"I'm leaving now. You should go back to your family. And don't come looking for me again please."

Feliciano stayed still and simply focused on his breathing and keeping the tears back as the German man that he had fallen in love with so easily, walked away...forever.

Even after Ludwig's footsteps were completely gone he still did not move until a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Hey are you really gonna be ok? My brother's an ass for rejecting you you know. Especially in such a public place. Um...hey you listening?"

Feliciano nodded and wiped a sleeve once across his eyes before turning to face the white haired man with a smile.

"Yeah I'll be fine. Haha he's right, Lili really is a good match for me. She's a real sweetheart. I'm sure we'll have tons of fun together and..."

He stopped short when the older German brother wrapped his arms around him.

"It's ok. You don't have to act brave. Your general appearance and attitude makes it plain that you're not usually afraid to cry in front of others. But...if you don't want us to see...my shoulder is deep enough I think."

Feliciano tried to shake his head and shake the hold off but he was broken at last and sobbed into the man's shoulder with all his might. The group said not a word and looked down at the floor to give him privacy until with a final slight hiccup he pushed away from the German and wiped his eyes once more.

"Thank you. I...I think I'll be fine now...I just...I want to be alone now." He bowed to the three men before heading off farther up the front of the ship towards the stern.

"Poor kid." Francis shook his head in sympathy, "Sometimes your brother really as no tact Gil."

Gilbert sighed and came back to pull Matthew away from the Frenchman protectively again.

"Tell me about it."

~*First Class Sweet*~

"Lovi?" Antonio opened the door into the sweet and looked around. He closed the door softly behind him and whistled at the splendor before him, "Dios look at this place!" The walls were covered in fine paintings and the fine tea table in the middle of the room was decorated in elaborate china. A small crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and its light sent out sparkles to every corner of the vast room that was already a good amount bigger than the quarters he shared with Gil, Francis, and Ludwig, and this place...was only the sitting room. Why there was even a baby grand piano set near the settee and lounge. He whistled again before the reason of his visit snapped him back to the task at hand. Freeing Lovi.

He began to wander off around the room in search of the door Feliciano had specified and when he found it he grinned. The sign had apparently been nailed on so that it couldn't be taken down easily but it read the same thing Feliciano had said.

_Keep Out Bastards_

He chuckled and tapped slightly at the door.

"Lovi. Hey Lovi you awake? It's me."

There were footsteps from the other side of the door before a startled voice.

"Antonio? What the hell are you doing in our sweet bastard?!"

The man grinned and was about to slip the key in the door before he had an idea. Talking to Lovino through a door was not exactly how he had originally planned this conversation to go but...it would make it so much easier having the Italian shut in at the moment, where he couldn't hit or run, and where his biting retorts and profane language would be more muffled. Face to face was ideal...but this way was more practical.

"I need to talk to you." Antonio began.

Lovino's reply was as expected.

"I don't want to talk with you fucking bastard. I just want to get out of my room to warn Feliciano."

"Warn him about what?" Antonio asked in surprise.

He heard the younger man draw in a hissing breath from the other side as he must have realized that he let something slip.

"Never mind bastard. I just want out of this room ok."

Antonio smiled.

"And I want to talk. It's a fair trade wouldn't you say."

"Are you fucking blackmailing me with freedom bastard?!"

Antonio chuckled.

"Only if you want to look at it that way."

"All right fine bastard what do you want to talk about?" Lovino's voice sounded slightly defeated but no less irritated.

"Us." Antonio said simply.

Lovino gave an agitated groan.

"There is no us bastard. What have you gotten into your head? That we're an item or something?! Well let me clear that up right away. I am _engaged_. I'm marrying Bella. In fact..." he gritted his teeth at the lie he was about to tell to save himself embarrassment and possible acknowledgement that what the older man seemed to feel...was possibly returned, "I love Bella. I really do. So there bastard. No more confusion. Now let me out."

Antonio shook his head even though he knew the other man couldn't see him and smiled slightly.

"Lovi you're no picnic. You're a spoiled foul mouthed volatile little brat even."

Lovino gaped at the door in utter shock that the cheerful man had actually insulted him.

"But under all that you're the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful boy...er...young man that I've ever met."

Lovino sucked in a breath at the compliments and forced himself to speak calmly.

"Antonio I..."

"No, no interrupting until I've gotten all of this out Lovi. You're amazing...you..."

Antonio sighed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair and paced a bit before the door.

"Look you may think that I'm just a stupid happy go lucky idiot but I'm not. I know how the world works, in fact I probably know the real world better than you. I've got 10 bucks in my pocket and nothing else to offer you and I know that but..."

He stepped up and placed both hands and forehead against the door as his voice dropped lower.

"But I'm too involved now. You jump I jump remember? I can't turn away without knowing you'll be all right. That's all I want."

Lovino had come close to the door as well and put a hand out to touch it as he forced himself to speak more hateful lies. Lies he would be saying for the rest of his days.

"Well I'm fine Toni. Really I'll be fine."

"Really?" Antonio spoke still more quietly against the door, "Because I don't think so."

He stepped back from it and his voice rose once more so now he was shouting slightly.

"They've got you trapped Lovino..."

"No shit Sherlock I'm fucking locked in my room."

"No Lovi I'm not talking about just today, I'm talking about every day. Every fucking day of your life."

Lovino literally gaped in utter astonishment at the usually overly peppy older man's use of his kind of language. It was strangely...a turn on? No damnit what was he thinking?!

"They've got you trapped..." Antonio began again letting all of his passion and anger at the people controlling his Lovi's life pour out into his words, "And you're going to die if you don't break free."

Lovino laughed ironically to himself at the fact that Antonio didn't even know the half of how true those words were.

"Maybe not today or even tomorrow because you're strong, but soon..." Antonio's voice dropped once again, "Sooner of later that fire that I love so much about you Lovi...that fire is going to go out."

Lovino could feel his body trembling as he clenched his fists against the sturdy door keeping him from the man saying all of these confusion things and making his body react in such unusual ways. How he managed to get control of his voice at that moment was a mystery but he forced out words that he both knew were true and wished weren't.

"It's not up to you to save me Toni."

Antonio nodded and at last slipped the key back from his pocket.

"I know." He fitted the key into the lock and turned it till a click was audible to both, "Only you can do that. However..."

He opened the door to find Lovino standing there staring straight as he had been at the oak surface. He took a step forward and cupped the boys chin in one hand forcing grass to stare into emerald.

"I can promise that when you do break free...I will be waiting to congratulate and welcome you into a new life of your choosing...with open arms."

With that he brought the wonderful, beautiful, dumbstruck boy's lips to his own in what he hoped would be the first of many kisses.


	9. Chapter 9: I'm Flying

Chapter 9: I'm Flying

His feet scuffed the ground as he came back down to earth. He had always been scared of going too high and falling off the swing, but his companion seemed to have no fear for such things. Laughter spilled out from the swing beside him and he looked over in time to see the girl's face fly past him, eyes dancing with mirth as she swung high up and seemed to touch the clear blue sky.

"Come on Luddy!" Her cheerful voice swirled around him, the use of that irritating cutesy nickname she had given him making him blush and pout slightly.

"No way. It's too high. Watching you is fine with me." He responded.

It was the girl's turn to pout as she swung back and forth past him. Her lovely hazel eyes were fixed on him and seemed to be staring right into his soul. Suddenly they brightened and she put her feet down to stop her momentum. Within moments she had come to a stop beside him and was grinning with mischief sparkling in the depths of her eyes.

Ludwig decided it was easier to not wonder what she was planning if he focused on something other than her eyes. He decided to focus instead on the bizarre curl of hair that stuck out gracefully from the side of her short auburn locks. He bit his lip as he tried to figure out what made it defy gravity and...was so caught up that he didn't realize the curl was coming closer to him until the girl's face was right in front of his own.

He gave a startled gasp and nearly fell out of his swing. But the girl laughed and caught at his arm to keep him steady, and pull him closer to her in the process.

"If I give you a present...will you swing with me?" she asked softly.

He blinked at her and quickly tried to think of something to say. What would she do if he refused? He didn't want to hurt her feelings by denying her? But then again he had also been taught that lower class people shouldn't expect that upper class are being sincere to them. His father had always warned him to be wary if an upper class person offered to give or do something for you...often times it could be a trap, scam, or way to shame you. Still...this little girl didn't seem malicious. True he had only met her this afternoon in the park. But for some reason he already felt close to her and...though his 10 year old brain couldn't quite process the true emotion at the time, he felt a strong warm feeling towards her.

After a few moments he realized that she was still waiting eagerly for his response.

"Um...ok...sure."

The girl clapped happily and her mouth broke into a beautiful smile.

"Yay! All right then...close your eyes."

Instantly Ludwig grew suspicious that he had indeed been tricked.

"Why?"

The girl dropped her eyes to her hands shyly.

"It's a surprise of course."

Ludwig was still suspicious, but he decided that despite all he had been told, he still sensed he could trust her.

"All right then." He closed his eyes and waited hands outstretched to receive whatever present she was going to give him...but it turned out the present wasn't going to come in quite the way he expected.

Eyes still closed he felt the girl take his hands in hers and then he felt something soft and warm on his lips. Unable to stop them, his eyes flew open and he stared back at her while she kissed him. Her eyes were closed at first, but then they slowly opened to reveal their beautiful hazel depths once more. But as soon as they were fully open she broke away from him and covered her mouth, blushing furiously.

"No fair! You weren't supposed to peak! That embarrassed me!"

"S...sorry." he murmured, touching his own lips, "You just caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting a present like that."

The girl smiled at that and she leaned forward to kiss him briefly again.

"It's the only kind of present I wanted to give you. Now let's swing, cuz you promised."

Ludwig nodded, still slightly dazed from what had happened, but also feeling incredibly happy and warm inside.

The pair swung laughing and shouting back and forth for what seemed like an eternity to the two, but eventually the girl seemed to become aware that the sun was setting, because she stuck her feet under her to scrape at the ground and slow her momentum. Ludwig followed suit and soon both were back to earth, swing chains still moving about and jangling slightly.

The girl hopped off and patted down her skirt before she turned back to Ludwig.

"I had a great time playing with you Luddy. Thanks for becoming my friend! And..."

She leaned forward and kissed him again.

"That's my final present for the day. Bye bye!"

Before Ludwig could protest or ask her where she was going, the girl was running off across the unkempt grass and up the hill. It was at the moment that she hit the top of the hill and her hair caught the fading sun that Ludwig realized he had never found out her name. The entire time they had played together he had never once asked for her name, though he had told her his right away. Suddenly in a panic he shouted as loud as he could after her.

"Wait! What's your name?! You never told me!"

The girl stopped and turned, and while he couldn't clearly see, he was certain she was smiling brightly.

"Just call me Feli! Love you Luddy! Bye bye!"

And with those few simple words...his heart had been lost. And he had never seen her again...

Ludwig woke abruptly from his dream with the girls words ringing in his head.

"_Call me Feli! Love you Luddy!" _

He stared up at the underside of his brother's bunk and remembered every detail of the girl, his first and only love. Her hazel eyes had sparkled so brightly and held such warmth and kindness and her bright auburn hair had shined in the sunlight with that unusual curl bouncing all around...

Suddenly his eyes grew wide.

_Hazel eyes? Auburn hair? Unusual curl?! Call me Feli?! _

He sat up and put his head in his hands as fresh memories of the past few days came crashing down on him. A young man with hazel eyes ran a hand through his auburn hair, careful to avoid the strange curl that whisked up from the side of his head, as he watched Ludwig browse through his art folder. And suddenly a more mature light male voice spoke inside his head, the same words that the little girl had shouted back to him.

"_Call me Feli."_

He groaned as reality came crashing down on him. His childhood love was none other than the young first class Italian he had met onboard the ship. Why had he not seen the resemblance before? Had his wariness over letting the boy get too close really blinded him to the hard truth staring him right in the face?! The beautiful laughing girl from his dreams had turned into an equally beautiful, intelligent, young aristocrat who appeared to have fallen in love with him and...

Who he had blatantly turned down.

"Oh gott!" Ludwig graoned, "What have I done! I turned down the single person that I gave my heart to all those years ago. I refused to even hear his confession. What is wrong with me?!"

Still, he knew now that his feelings were wrong. It was wrong for him to fall in love with someone of such high standing, and even more wrong when that person was another man. Yet...his heart refused to stop pounding and feeling so warm in his chest. Now that it had realized the person it had been longing for for so long was actually close at hand, it seemed like it would tear itself from his chest just to get to them, consequences be damned.

"Yes consequences be damned!" he shouted at last, getting all the way out of bed and pulling his coat and boots back on. "I'm going to find him and apologize and..." he stopped wondering what he would do next...what if the boy was so hurt that he refused to give him a second chance, what if he had already gone back to find Lili like Ludwig had told him to. It would serve the stubborn German man right if he had. But he had to try. He still had to try.

But as he took a step out the door another question came to mind that he had to ask Feliciano.

"Why the hell were you wearing a dress that day?!"

~*~Stern of Ship~*~

Feliciano stared down at the water breaking against the stern of the ship. The cold spray and wind whipped at his reddened eyes and chilled the few tears that still clung to his cheeks. As he gazed down at the inky blackness with a clenched heart, he now thought he could maybe understand what Lovino had been feeling that night he had gone over the railing. The thought of escaping a life that held no pleasure in it was truly tempting.

A call from a gull overhead made him lift his eyes and new possibilities took the place of his previous ones. He wanted to fly. He wanted to take off from that deck and soar free, high above the world, hi above his structured life...hi above the pain clutching at him. Of course he had known that it was a gamble, after all he and Ludwig were both men, and from different places in society. He had also known that the strong German was careful and very self conscious of the way he carried himself and interacted with others. Still he had hoped...just maybe...maybe...

He closed his eyes and gripped the rail before him tightly before, with determination, he hoisted himself up so his feet were scrabbling for a hold on the lowest rail. He let out a sight gasp of fear as he felt himself teeter slightly, but then he regained his balance and dared to open his eyes. Nothing had changed yet, the crashing waves still lashed mercilessly against the ships stern and reflected the fading light of day as the sun began its decent towards the distant open nothingness of the ocean.

Feliciano took a deep breath and closed his eyes again as he murmured his desires over and over again.

"I want to be free from this confined life I'm stuck in. I want to fly. I want Ludwig to love me, but that isn't possible now. So I just want to fly. I want to fly...I want to fly!"

"Perhaps I could be of assistance with that." A soft voice spoke from behind him.

Feliciano whirled around, nearly losing his balance and slipping off the bar in the process, but he wasn't concerned about that...because standing slightly uncertainly before him was Ludwig. Handsome, crystal eyed, strong, wonderful, Ludwig and...he was smiling. Ludwig was genuinely smiling...at him!

Feliciano wanted to say something. Anything. But in that moment...his voice was completely lost. But Ludwig didn't seem to mind. He came forward till he was inches away from Feliciano, and never once did his smile falter.

"It's ok Feliciano, you don't have to say anything. I don't really know what I want to hear you say anyways...well know that's not true...I want you to forgive me. That's all I need to hear you say. Forgive me for letting my stupid reasoning mind prevent me from allowing you to speak as I should have. Forgive me for my cold words and...for my unfeeling actions."

Feliciano felt tears breaking from his eyes again as he smiled and nodded.

"Of course I do. Don't blame yourself. You were only trying to protect both of us from a hard life...but then again...a life filled with love...even if it is a hard life...should be worth anything right?"

He asked the last part in a hopeful whisper, barely daring to breathe lest it break what seemed to be a miracle.

Ludwig sighed then and his smile fell.

"I'm afraid sometimes rules and expectations of society can even make love not as important as surviving..."

Feliciano felt his heart sinking again and closed his eyes so Ludwig wouldn't see the resurfacing pain there.

"But..." Ludwig's voice spoke softly once more and his smile returned, incredibly gentle as his eyes tried to convey the intense warmth that he felt in his heart. "I decided that in this case...society and consequences be damned!"

Feliciano opened his eyes once more, startled. He gazed into Ludwig's pure blue eyes carefully, trying to find any source of uncertainty or simply sympathy that he was just humoring the boy. But all he could see in the shining depths was...compassion, warmth, tenderness, and...love. And now he really was crying once more, turning away from the taller man so he wouldn't see his unattractive puffy face. But Ludwig wasn't deterred by his display and simply came closer still and wrapped his arms around the young Italian from behind.

"Feli don't cry. At least not at the moment. You said you wanted to fly right?"

Feliciano nodded and wiped his eyes with one sleeve while his other hand still clutched the railing tightly.

"All right then." Ludwig reached forward searching for the young man's hands, "First you need to stretch your arms out as if you were going to take off at any moment. I'm not surprised that you want to fly. You wanted to as a child as well. You kept going higher and higher on that swing."

Suddenly Feliciano gasped and turned his head to face him even as Ludwig succeeded in stretching his arms out.

"Lu...Luddy? You're little Luddy?!"

Ludwig actually laughed at the boy's surprise.

"I just realized it myself so don't beat yourself up for not recognizing me either."

Feliciano nodded but still gazed at him in wonder until Ludwig smiled gently again.

"Face forward Feli, or you won't get the proper feeling of flying."

Feliciano did as instructed and faced forward where the wind caught at his sleeves and swept through his hair giving him the sensation that he was...indeed...flying. He let out a shout of excitement and gazed in wonder at the sparkling horizon.

"Ludwig...I'm actually flying Ludwig!"

Ludwig laughed lightly as well and wrapped his hands around the smaller, now slightly wind chilled, ones. As they stood like that on the stern of the ship, another memory came to Ludwig. A little tune that Feli had sung those many years ago as they had swung higher and higher. He was by Ludwig was by no means a good singer, but a light song just seemed appropriate for the moment so he leaned forward and opened his lips beside Feliciano's ear, and softly began to sing the little melody.

"_When the cold wind is a calling and the sky is clear and bright, Misty mountains sing and beckon, lead me out into the light. I will ride, I will fly, Chase the wind and touch the sky. I will fly, Chase the wind and touch the sky."_

Feliciano laughed lightly with mirth and broke in at the end of the tune with his own light voice.

"_La la la, la la la la, la la la la, la la la. La la la la, la la la la, la la la la la la la."_

Now it was Ludwig's turn to laugh lightly, his breath tickling the smaller man's shoulder. Feliciano smiled at that and twitched his hands before bringing them in to wrap around himself, pulling Ludwig's along with them. He stayed in that position and waited for a few moments before he turned his head to face Ludwig's and reached one of his hands up to stoke the side of the larger man's face. Finally after what seemed like an eternity for both of them, Feliciano made the motion they were both longing for and brought his lips together gently with Ludwig's.

The first kiss lasted for only a few moments, but it was enough time for them both to get the feel and initial taste of each other, and enough time to leave them craving more. Deeper. More passionate. Feliciano wanted to be left breathless like those girl's in romance movies usually seemed to be and Ludwig...simply didn't want the perfect moment to end.

(AN: Sorry if Ludwig seemed out of character in this chapter but honestly...I know from experience watching them, that even guys that seem to have a harder outer shell and don't really show much emotion in general...tend to become complete softies and sometimes comical sentimental idiots when deeply in love and around that person. Also sorry if there was too much fluff in this chapter but...it was so much fun to write and the moment in the movie is supposed to be a tender sappy one!)


	10. Chapter 10: The Drawing

Ch.10 The Drawing

"That was the last time Hetalia ever saw daylight."Feliciano looked up at the select crew members of the Caloway still in the preservation room with him.

"So we're up to the night of the sinking." Corman sighed, not wanting to meet the boy's eyes. Something Lovino had said when he had first been asked to tell the story struck him again.

"_Because that WAS his name." _

There were very few stories from survivors of the Hetalia that had a happy ending and it sounded like this one would be no exception. Feliciano had said the same thing as well. Both of his separate guests had suffered deeply at the hands of fate and through his own hands he had arranged for, probably, their first moment of true joy to be publicly broadcast for the world to see.

No. Much as his main goal had been to find the cross, through listening to their stories he had come to understand the boys more. He had found a deep respect for both of them in different ways.

No. He wasn't going to ruin their moment.

"I'll be back." He whispered to Dave and left the room with Lovino staring after him.

"Story's affecting the bastard that much is it?" he tried to sound sarcastic but he had been forced to wipe tears from his eyes not too long before, "Not that I blame him. I mean can you believe it. There's Captain Honda with the iceberg warning in his fucking hand, and he's ordering more speed!" he laughed hysterically, "A fucking idiot!"

"He's been a captain for a while now." Dave sighed, "He figures that anything big enough to sink the ship will be spotted in time to turn. The ships too big with too small of rudders. It can't corner worth a damn. Everything he knows is wrong."

"It looks like he missed you." Jane smiled at the cat in Feliciano's lap, "I think that you'll be more comfortable continuing your story in your room than in the preservation room."

The young man nodded and looked out the porthole window by the bed. Speaking about it had brought the memory of that first kiss back and all the warmth, desire, and feeling of security and being wanted that had come in that instant. He licked his lips slightly as if the taste of his loving German/Spaniard would still be there.

~*First Class Sweet*~

It seemed like an eternity before they broke apart leaving Lovino slightly dazed and...Fuck no, those were not tears.

"You're crying." Antonio whispered worriedly, "Was it not a good kiss?"

"That's not the reason bastard." Lovino groaned and leaned his head against the older man's chest, "It's just the first time someone has spoken sincerely to me besides my brother. I wasn't ready for it."

Antonio laughed lightly and ran a hand through the young man's silky locks.

"You'll get used to it shortly I don't doubt."

Lovino stepped away again and was about to respond with an annoyed, sarcastic quip when the sound of footsteps approaching the main door stopped him.

"Shit!" he grabbed Antonio's hands and pulled the startled man into the room closing the door quickly and as softly as he could manage, and locking it.

"Lovi what...?"

"Zitto idiota! If someone finds you here we'll both be in trouble and you'll be locked up for sure this time." Lovino hissed, instinctively reaching a hand backwards to clutch Antonio's wrist.

They stayed that way, hardly daring to breathe, before a brisk knock sounded on the door.

"Lovi are you awake?" Bella's voice inquired.

"Of course I am. You think I could sleep at a time like this?" Lovino replied, the girl's voice causing all of his previous anger and desperation to return.

"I see that you're still upset."

"Of course I am! I'm fucking locked in this room and engaged to someone who wants nothing more than my death! And now my brother's in danger as well! You do the math bitch!"

He heard Antonio start to gasp behind him and whirled to slam his palm over the man's mouth.

"Zitto idiota!" he hissed quietly again, "I'll explain later."

Bella's laughter broke through the tense situation and set both boys on edge with its coldness.

"Well I was told to come and let you out. Roderich wants to make a deal with you. If you promise to behave for the rest of the trip and stay away from Feliciano then he will promise not to include him in his plans. Now won't that make the rest of this trip a lot better?"

Lovino could feel Antonio's face clenching from barely contained rage and he kept his eyes locked with the Spaniards in a desperate attempt to make him stay calm and silent before he replied to Bella with a calmer voice that would make it seem like he was seriously considering it.

"Let me out first and I'll consider it more."

"Unfortunately the key appears to have disappeared from Roderich's pocket. He and Vash are searching everywhere for it at the moment, and questioning everyone that was around him today."

Lovino grinned smugly at knowing something she and his guardian didn't, but he had also become curious how Antonio had managed to get the key. Surely he hadn't stolen it from Roderich's pocket...had he? He blinked at the taller man and whispered, "How did you get it?"

Antonio shook his head and motioned with his free hand to Lovino's currently covering his mouth.

Lovino also shook his head.

"Not until she's gone." He whispered again.

"There'll be no deal until you find it and let me out then." Lovino said sharply in the direction of the door, "So leave me alone for now bitch!"

"As you wish Lovi." Bella's voice purred. They heard the footsteps receding and the main door slamming. Lovino waited for several moments for the hateful girl to get far down the hallway before he dropped his hand.

"The hell was she talking about?!" Antonio asked angrily pulling his wrist from Lovino's grip and staring back determinedly at the smaller man, "What deal?"

Lovino sighed and leaned back against the door.

"I wasn't planning on telling you until we found Feliciano but...I've known about an arrangement that Roderich made to have me assassinated shortly after we landed in America for awhile now. It was just going to be me but since I went off on him this morning he's threatening Feli now too. But it looks like he wants to make a deal with me for Feli's safety. I keep pretending like I don't know anything and don't tell my brother anything of the plot either, then I allow myself to be killed like a good little boy." He spat the last part.

Antonio just kept staring at him in shock. He had never thought that Lovino's situation was _that_ dire.

"I'll kill him." He growled in fury, "How dare he...how could he even..."

"You wouldn't be able to touch him. And I don't really want the man I love to become a murderer." Lovino sighed again.

Antonio was still fuming but he still was able to catch what Lovino had just said and his fury turned to surprise and joy.

"You love me?"

Lovino seemed to realize what he had just said and clamped a hand over his mouth while a fierce blush spread across his face.

"Disregard what I said bastardo. But you still can't kill my guardian. Not yet at least."

Lovino turned around and unlocked the door.

"We have to find Feliciano and make him believe that I'm telling the truth first. We can figure out what to do after that."

Antonio's fury at Roderich Edelstein had returned but Lovino was right, finding Feliciano and keeping both boys safe was the most important thing at the moment.

He reached for Lovino's hand and held it tightly as they cautiously exited the bedchamber and then through one of the main doors and into the corridor with even more caution. If one of Lovino's party spotted them then everything would be over. Lovino and Feliciano's safety. And the shaky mutual romance that had grown between himself and his wonderful Italian.

~*~SSH~*~

As the front main door closed, the back door opened and a brightly smiling Feliciano stepped into the room followed by, once again on his guard, Ludwig.

"Feliciano I really don't think this is proper."

"I assure you our accommodations are very proper." The young Italian laughed, "Here is the main sitting room with fine couches and the piano as you can see. Very proper."

"That's not what I meant." Ludwig sighed but smiled all the same as he looked around. The walls of the room were not decorated with famous paintings and hangings like he would expect a first class sweet to contain, but rather with drawings of all different venues.

"You?" he turned towards the young man in wonder pointing at the nearest drawing. This drawing was done in charcoal with a woman throwing her head back in anguish and lifting her arms towards the moon as the tops slowly turned into feathers. The drawing had to be inspired by Swan Lake. It was just incredible.

"Hmmm?" Feliciano had actually gone into his room briefly but poked his head back out at the question, "Oh yes I did that. I did all of them." He grinned brightly and came back out of the room holding a drawing pad and special pencil case, "And there'll be another one soon. Though I think I'll keep this one hidden from the rest of my party and keep it securely in the safe in my room."

"You think it's going to be that good huh?" Ludwig smiled as the young man approached him and leaned up to kiss him briefly.

"Oh yes, I think it will be one of my best yet."

Ludwig chuckled a bit and kissed him back for a few moments before he became aware of where he was once more and stepped back hastily.

"Can we leave now? I still say it's not proper for me to be here."

Feliciano frowned and took his hand leading him over to one of the couches where he pulled him down beside him.

"No we cannot. I have to do my drawing first."

Ludwig sighed and tried to get comfortable but was having a hard time. Consequences and propriety be damned in the case of his love for Feliciano, but they still held great power over his knowledge of his place in the world. And that place was not in this first class sweet.

"Here Ludwig, hold out your hand."

He looked back into the boy's mesmerizing amber eyes and did as instructed.

An amazing jeweled cross dropped into his palm. If the weight wasn't enough to give him surprise, the sheer beauty and magnificence of it made his breath hiss out in wonder.

"Are some of those sapphires and rubies?"

"No they're all diamonds." Feliciano smiled running a hand through Ludwig's hair while he was distracted, "Some are just rare colored diamonds."

Ludwig continued to cradle the cross in his palm but his attention was back on Feliciano as the young man's fingers threatened to undue his perfectly combed hair. He reached up and caught his hand, bringing it to his mouth to kiss the fingertips.

Feliciano giggled slightly and reached his other hand forward to cover the cross.

"Ludwig, I want to draw you wearing this."

The large German man looked back at him in surprise and alarm.

"Here? Now?"

"Yes" Feliciano giggled, "I want to capture memories of this day the only way I know how."

"But why here?" Ludwig asked again fretfully, "Wouldn't somewhere with..." he tried to search for an excuse that Feliciano might consider for the sake of his drawing, "...better light and without the chance of...being disturbed by your party."

"The light is fine." Feliciano smiled, "And so long as the smoking and brandy hold out then Roderich will be set. Lovino's door is open which means he's probably off with Antonio. And the women are sure to gossip long after dinner and enjoy their desserts and first class drinks. Besides it's warm in here where it might be cold in a different room."

"And why would that make a difference, apart from your hand possibly being too cold to move properly?"

Feliciano gazed back at him and his finger stopped stroking the cross. He stared straight into Ludwig's crystalline blue eyes and caressed his cheek while he spoke in a soft whisper.

"Wearing only this, Ludwig."

~*~SSH~*~

The weight of the cross weighed heavily on his chest but the anxiety of what he was about to do weighed heavily on his heart and mind. Verdamnt that at the moment, in his emotional high condition of falling in love with the boy all over again, he just couldn't refuse Feliciano anything. But still...

He stared into the bathroom mirror and began undoing the buttons on his shirt, slipping it off over his broad shoulders and taking another breath.

"Feliciano?"

"Mmmmn?" the young man's voice sounded calm from the sitting room.

"Can't I at least keep my pants on? The drawing is navel up after all."

Light laughter carried around him.

"No you may not. Pants can be restricting on hip and waist lines. I need free lines to make the drawing the best it can be, since it's of the best model I could desire."

Ludwig shivered at the slight purr in the Italian's voice. Trust Feliciano to have this kind of an erotic side to him. He was already blushing furiously when not even facing the young man, he couldn't even imagine what he would look like coming out before Feliciano fully naked.

"Can't I cover with something?" he practically begged.

He heard Feliciano sigh and then the young man appeared at the bathroom doorway looking over his naked torso with approval.

"Well I personally want to see all of you, but that can wait till later I suppose."

Ludwig shivered again at the lack of embarrassment and the ease with which Feliciano said such things.

"If you're really bothered by it right now then you can wrap a towel around your waist. There should be some safety pins in that drawer for you to secure it. But Ludwig..." Feliciano ran a hand over the man's bare back causing the German to shiver once again, "low on your hips. I mean it."

Then he was gone from the bathroom to continue his preparations and leave Ludwig once more with his thoughts and insecurities.

But for the sake of Feliciano he tried to put these aside as he stripped completely down to bare skin before wrapping a towel low about his waist. He looked at his reflection in the mirror once more and tried to force his features to be calm even though his heart was racing frantically. He wondered how Feliciano could remain so at ease with the situation. And at last he exited the room and slipped back into the fine first class sitting room where Feliciano was perched comfortably in a chair with drawing pad and charcoal pencil at the ready. The young man looked up and smiled at him, checking him over thoroughly and nodding in satisfaction at the low riding towel.

"Come stand in front of me."

He came awkwardly over and stood stiffly before Feliciano shook his head with light laughter and got up to come help him.

"Relax Ludwig. I can't draw you properly if you're stiff." He ran his hands over the other young man's muscles, trying to make them less tense. But of course that came entirely from Ludwig. Feliciano frowned at not getting success before he nodded and leaned up to give the German a deep tender kiss.

"Relax Ludwig." He whispered again, "Keep your eyes on me. It will be over before you realize it if you just keep your body relaxed and eyes on me."

Ludwig nodded with the melting warmth of the kiss still coursing through his veins, making it easier to relax and not focus so much on what he was doing. Instead, he kept his eyes and thoughts on Feliciano and what lay in store for them. Perhaps he would get to see the young Italian this way at some point as well. Normally he would have immediately pushed thoughts like that aside but not now. Now that and the thought of many more kisses like the one he had just received, were what kept his mind and body relaxed while Feliciano's hand flew elegantly over the page.

The artist had become quite composed and serious for a change as his hand hovered over certain sections of the page more than others, darkening in lines and shadows and occasionally whisking a finger across a particular portion as well. He would look up occasionally to check a particular angle or shadowing and each time his eyes happened to find Ludwig's the German man would find himself hearing up even more. Those god damn eyes were just too perfect! And he still couldn't understand how Feliciano seemed so calm and serious while drawing something so...was erotic an appropriate word? He was essentially naked after all.

At one point though, Ludwig noticed something.

"Feliciano, are you blushing?"

The young man smiled and nodded. He wouldn't tell Ludwig that he was drawing his navel and the top of the towel at that point, and just looking and thinking about it was making his body heat up with excited warmth. But he managed to keep his head in his desire to finish the drawing and went back to darkening in certain points that still needed it.

_In fact Ludwig didn't know that my heart was pounding the whole time. Sure I had drawn Lovino wearing sheets plenty of times before, but that was my brother, someone I was connected to by flesh and blood. This was completely different. This was someone I was completely in love with. And it was the most erotic moment of my life..._

~*SSH*~

"Up until then at least." Feliciano laughed and opened his eyes to face the group in his room on the Calloway once more.

"So what happened next?" Jane asked with excitement. She might normally have a more calm and slightly manipulative demeanor but currently all her hopeless romantic feelings were bubbling to the service as Feliciano told his story.

Corman smiled and nodded. He had quite gotten into the story as well. Despite the fact that the drawing had been fully explained at last and he could just ask about the cross right then and there, he wanted to know more of the story. He owed that to the boy. Plus he was genuinely curious about how far these relationships had gone.

Feliciano blinked at Jane and then smiled slightly.

"You mean did we do it?"

Jane blushed and giggled nervously and Corman smiled embarrassedly as well.

"Well sorry to disappoint all of you but I was a professional and Ludwig was just far too nervous as hell to be able to think about anything like that at the moment."

~*SSh*~

Feliciano knelt over the couch and placed the drawing into Ludwig's hands.

"What do you think?"

Now that he was fully clothed again Ludwig felt slightly more at ease with the situation and was able to admire the drawing. Despite the fact that he was looking at himself, he thought the drawing captured something different that he couldn't see when looking in a mirror. Was this the way that Feliciano saw him? If so then the boy's eyes were far too generous when dealing with such a sorry model. He tried instead to focus on the skill of the pencil strokes and how the cross seemed to sparkle with gems despite this one simply being made of paper and charcoal.

"Well?" Feliciano prompted again.

"It's good." Ludwig breathed at last, "You did a good job given what you had to work with."

"You mean the perfection I had to try to capture?" Feliciano laughed.

Ludwig shook his head.

"Absolutely not. I meant the exact opposite."

"Oh no Ludwig." Feliciano smiled and leaned down to kiss him briefly before whispering silkily, "You think so little of yourself, but I can see so much more and that is what I captured."

Ludwig shook his head and allowed his lips to be captured again and returned the kiss deeply this time, making Feliciano start to sway and giggle slightly from the contact. The moment was perfect until Ludwig realized that he was still wearing the incredibly expensive cross. It belonged on Feliciano, not him, and he was forced to break the kiss in order to point this out.

Feliciano looked rather disappointed as he helped Ludwig to take the necklace off and carried it back to the safe along with his drawing folder. He smiled longingly at the newest drawing in the front for awhile before the real life model asked in an uneasy voice what he was doing. With a content sigh he slipped the folder into the safe with the cross but didn't close the door all the way.


End file.
